Mamak House raided over donation scam

Religious learning centre raided over donation scam

January 27, 2011

PORT DICKSON, Jan 27 — A religious learning centre which housed about 50 male and female students was raided by enforcement officers from four government agencies over the rampant use of underaged students to collect donations.

A Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Department spokesman said the raid on the premises followed several complaints received from the public who often found the students asking for donations in and around this town and in Seremban.

“The premises located in Chuah are four units of modified shophouses, believed to belong to a Quran-learning centre in the northern part of the peninsula,” he said yesterday.

He said led by an ustaz (religious teacher), the students usually went around at night to collect donations with printed receipts of RM10 each given out.

The students’ activities have also been reported by several blogs.

“While the students should spend their time studying, they were also taken to as far as Kuala Lumpur to sell products like VCDs, calendars and souvenirs which were mostly sold at RM10 each,” the spokesman said.

The raid was conducted by officers from the state Islamic Religious Department, Port Dickson Municipal Council (PDMC), State Welfare Department and the police.

Three religious teachers were also taken to the Lukut police station to have their statements recorded, while the PDMC issued a summons for illegal renovations done to the premises.

The state Islamic Religious Department is investigating the organisation running the religious learning centre. — Bernama