PUTRAJAYA, March 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants every ministry and government agency to organise religious knowledge programmes at their respective workplace to enliven the spirit of Ramadan.

Speaking at the Ihya’ Ramadan programme at the Putra Mosque here today, Anwar said he had also instructed all secretaries-general and heads of departments to organise religious knowledge programmes such as a tazkirah (lecture) session before Zohor prayer.

“All Muslim ministers and deputy ministers have also been asked to participate in those programmes organised by their respective ministries and agencies.

“My proposal to all the government machinery is to give more meaning to Ramadan through efforts to enliven the spirit of Ramadan such as by organising religious knowledge programmes,” said the prime minister who is scheduled to attend such a programme at the Ministry of Finance tomorrow.

Anwar said he had also asked the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar to list out the speakers or preachers under the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to participate in the programmes at the ministry and government department levels.

“However, let’s not be any deviation (of the programme) as the spirit of Ramadan is not to insult or to spread party sentiments, but to enliven the Ramadan spirit of unity,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said each ministry and government agency is free to determine the forms and speakers for the programme to be held at their premises.

Earlier, Anwar joined over 1,000 congregants to perform Zohor prayers at the Putra Mosque and listened to the tazkirah by the Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Dr Luqman Abdullah.

Also present was Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali. 

-- BERNAMA