15 tonnes of Quran ashes disposed of in Pulau Angsa waters

PORT KLANG: The Home Ministry (KDN) disposed of 15 tonnes of ashes of Quranic texts and materials in the waters off Pulau Angsa, Kuala Selangor, today, under the Pemulian Abu Al-Quran programme.

KDN Enforcement and Control Division secretary Nik Yusaimi Yussof said that the ashes were shaped into cubes or blocks before being released about 13 nautical miles from the shore, at a depth of 10 metres.

“Overall, 29.3 tonnes of ashes from Quranic texts and materials have been disposed of through the programme, which has been held for the fifth time this year. This includes the disposal of 15 tonnes of Quran ashes in Selangor today, along with 10 tonnes in Pahang, 2 tonnes in Terengganu, 1.3 tonnes in Sarawak, and 1 tonne in Kelantan,” he told a press conference on the programme here.

Nik Yusaimi said materials or texts containing verses from the Quran, as well as copies of the Quran without KDN certification, were also processed into ashes before being formed into cubes to ensure they sank easily.

“They will then be released into the sea, away from the main shipping routes, at a specific depth.

“This method is implemented in accordance with the Quranic Text Disposal Guidelines issued by the KDN through the Quran Printing Control and Licensing Board (LPPPQ),” he said.

Elaborating, Nik Yusaimi said other methods that could be implemented included burying the materials in areas where people did not usually walk, at a specified depth, and removing the ink from the printing paper.

“The process involves dissolving the ink so that no traces of writing are left on the paper. The paper can then be recycled, with the ink disposed of according to the Department of Environment guidelines,” he said.

In the meantime, he reminded the public not to sell the Quran and materials containing Quranic verses as recyclable paper, as it did not comply with the syariah guidelines regarding the proper disposal of the holy book.

“Our recommendation is to hand over the Quran to any KDN Enforcement and Control Division office nationwide for disposal in accordance with the established guidelines,” he said.