KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Wakaf City project in Gaza, set to be launched after Ramadan, will be the first model of Malaysia’s wakaf development in Palestine, showcasing the nation’s solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation (MAPIM) chief executive officer, Datuk Sani Araby, said the initiative goes beyond humanitarian aid, serving as a sustainable effort that unites Malaysians from all backgrounds in support of Palestine.
Sani, who is also the founder and director of the Malaysia-Gaza Wakaf City Project, highlighted that the high-impact initiative is under the patronage of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He noted that the project aligns with Anwar’s role as an ASEAN leader advocating for Palestinian solidarity.
“This is not just an aid project but Malaysia’s first wakaf development model on Palestinian soil, setting an example for the world. It represents the unity of Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, working together to rebuild Gaza,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Anwar announced that Malaysia and Japan had agreed to expedite Gaza’s reconstruction under the Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) initiative, with a special fund established to support rebuilding efforts.
The Malaysia Wakaf City project, estimated to cost RM120 million, spans 35.2 hectares of wakaf land in Gaza, with an agreement signed in February 2023. So far, RM40 million in wakaf donations have been collected.
The development includes 14 wakaf apartment blocks, each representing a Malaysian state, a mosque designed after the Shah Alam Mosque, a Malaysian school, a recreational park, business premises under the Micro-Credit Khardul Hasan programme, a health clinic, and a water tank tower.
Several state governments – Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan, Melaka, and Penang, along with JAKIM, the Malaysian Wakaf Foundation (YWM), and the Sultan of Selangor, who launched the Selangor-Gaza Ihsan Development Fund, have also contributed to the project.
Meanwhile, Sani noted that MAPIM, together with Cinta Gaza Malaysia (CGM) and Gagasan MyAqsa Defender, has built 10 mosques in Gaza and assisted in repairing hospitals, schools, and homes. These past efforts have laid the foundation for a long-term, sustainable wakaf city.
“Malaysia has made history with continuous humanitarian missions, including Ops Ihsan and emergency medical evacuations for Gaza families. Now, we are committed to rebuilding Gaza with a sustainable wakaf concept, ensuring a better future for the Palestinian people,“ he said.