CAMBODIA, THE FIRST COUNTRY TO RECEIVE QURAN DONATION

PETALING JAYA, July 28 (Bernama) -- Cambodia has become the first country to receive copies of the holy Quran through the World Quran Endowment Programme of the Malaysian Armed Forces in collaboration with the Restu Foundation.

Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 10,200 copies of the
holy book obtained through donations collected from corporate bodies, armed forces personnel and individuals, would be distributed to the minority Muslim community in that country.

"This is an effort to show Malaysia's concern towards Muslim minorities in other countries," he told reporters after receiving the 10,200 copies of the Quran from chairman of the foundation, Latiff Mirasa, here Wednesday.

Five hundred copies of the 'mukadam' booklets and 1,000 prayer mats would also be sent to Cambodia to be distributed to the Muslim community there in preparation for the coming month of Ramadan, he said.

Ahmad Zahid said under the programme, copies of the holy Quran would also be given to other nations with minority Muslim communities like Japan, Korea and South Africa.

The Defence Minister arrived in Cambodia Wednesday for a three-day official visit to the country in a Malaysian Armed Forces carrier C130, accompanied by Major General Zulkiple Kassim, Defence Advisor to the Minister Brigadier General Md Dzahir Abdul Rashid Bakar and other senior Armed Forces officers.

Their arrival at the Pochetong Military Base at 7.35pm was received by Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training Othsman Hassan and the Mufti of Cambodia, Oknha Sos Kamry.

Othsman Hassan is also President Chairman of the Higher Council of Islamic Religious Affairs in Cambodia.