ISKANDAR PUTERI, Johor – A centre will be set up in Johor in 2024 to rehabilitate those who are considered deviant and contradict the teachings of the Islamic faith.

State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said RM400,000 (S$114,400) has been channelled towards establishing the centre, which is expected to start operating in July 2024.

“The rehabilitation centre will not only tackle those who have veered from the right path, it will also help those convicted of committing same-sex relations” by the Syariah Court, said Mr Mohd Fared.

“The establishment of such a centre for those found to have engaged in same-sex relations is also the first in Malaysia,” he told the Johor state assembly on Nov 29.

“The centre will provide them with a space to purify their faith and get back on the right path.”

Mr Mohd Fared added that the state was in the process of setting up the centre, including its office and hostels.

The rehabilitation centre would also provide awareness programmes and counselling for those in need, as well as religious programmes for Muslim converts, he said, in response to a query from opposition Perikatan Nasional representative Abdul Aziz Talib.

Mr Abdul Aziz had asked about the state’s initiatives to help Muslims strengthen their faith. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK