The Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Chairman, I am pleased to participate in the Committee Stage debate on the allocations to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. The Minister, Deputy Minister, Secretary, and officials of the Ministry are working commendably without discrimination. Despite the economic crisis, ahead of the holy month of Ramadan you reduced import duties on dates and helped bring them through various organizations. You are also addressing long-pending issues. On behalf of the Muslim community, I thank you and your officials.

¶ 03 There are about 321 registered Arabic colleges (madrasas) in the country, and 132 unregistered; 72 have applied for registration but have not yet been registered. Please expedite proper review and registration. For over a decade, a common national syllabus for all Arabic colleges has been discussed. In 2020, the Sectoral Oversight Committee approved it; in 2022, the Ministry appointed an expert committee (including professors) and obtained approvals. It was then sent to the Ministry of Education, whose committee of intellectuals approved the syllabuses. Please work with the Education Ministry to implement it. Put politics aside and secure full cooperation of administrators of all Arabic colleges and Islamic institutions. The Department of Examinations has made necessary arrangements and criteria to hold a common examination upon completion of the syllabus. Please coordinate with the Department to conduct that exam.

¶ 04 In mosques, ulama and muezzins serve; in Arabic colleges, teachers serve. However, there is no systematic local training for them. Khutbahs on Fridays should focus on contemporary needs, unity among communities, and other important themes. Please establish a training centre under the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs—either in Colombo or the Eastern Province—to train imams, muezzins, and teachers. We will extend full cooperation, including assistance to secure foreign support through embassies.

¶ 05 A regional office of the Department exists in Batticaloa to serve the Eastern Province and reduce the burden of traveling to Colombo; but it is not functioning properly. Please appoint an Assistant Director and necessary staff to operationalize it so that people in the East, as well as from Polonnaruwa and Uva, can use it.

¶ 06 Arabic books and textbooks are currently restricted from import. I understand you are working to lift the ban. It must be lifted. Middle Eastern tourists, Arabic speakers, often bring Qur’ans, but in recent times customs have seized Qur’ans and Arabic books, including academic books, simply because they are in Arabic. Confiscate only problematic materials, but not Qur’ans or general Arabic books. Please address this urgently.

¶ 07 A philanthropist sent a consignment of Qur’ans with Tamil translations from Saudi Arabia. I understand you discussed this during your visit to Saudi Arabia. A container of these Qur’ans has been held at the port for nearly a year and not released. The Hon. Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer is also aware and has been active on this. Please take steps to release them.

¶ 08 Regarding Hajj, there are four categories: A, B, C, and D. From Sri Lanka, currently only A and B can go; C and D are disallowed. This should change. The idea that only the affluent can perform Hajj is not correct. If someone can manage at lower cost under category C, let them go—reduce costs by 4–5 lakhs from the current ~24 lakhs. A couple in my village in Batticaloa saved for over 15 years, collecting Rs. 37 lakhs, but with the current per-person cost at ~24 lakhs, they now need Rs. 48 lakhs and cannot go. Other countries allow multiple categories. Decisions should not be based on requests of a few at the Jeddah Consulate. Improve bus services between Mina and Arafat, but do not force everyone into high-cost packages. Those who want AC tents and buffets can go under A or B. These decisions predate your tenure and only require your signature now; please review them and allow pilgrims to choose their category.

¶ 09 On the Wakfs Board, as Hon. Uthumalebbe said, avoid political involvement. The Wakfs Board must be independent. Even if in the past MPs influenced appointments, do not allow it now. Maintain strict systems to select independent boards and stop political letters appointing trustees.

¶ 10 On the Mahara Prison mosque, during former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s period, the Department of Prisons agreed to release 10 perches of land; I have the minutes. About 350 families live nearby without a mosque; the old mosque (over 110 years) was closed after the Easter attacks. Please facilitate release of the land; the community will build the mosque at their expense.

¶ 11 In Norwood (Nuwara Eliya), an approximately 100-year-old mosque lacks income. Merci Lanka Foundation constructed five houses to generate income for salaries of the muezzin and imam. The DS said they were on state land and halted them. Despite discussions in 2019 and 2020, there is no final solution. If it is state land and the houses were mistakenly built, please alienate the land properly upon payment; we are ready to pay. Currently, the Norwood DS has given those houses to peons. Please take action to hand these five houses to the mosque; we will pay any dues.

¶ 12 Under your learned and patriotic leadership at the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, we can build inter-communal harmony as the Hon. President has called for. We are ready to support your Ministry and its departments fully.