WITHER WAQF AFTER ABDULLAH BADAWI ?

It is already known to public that YAB Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be relinguishing his Prime Minister post to DS Mohd Najib next March. So after that what will happen to waqf development in Malaysia? Sadly to say that there are not much attention and assistance given to develops waqf properties dan human capital during the tenureship of Tun Mahathir. Immediately appointed as Malaysia's fifth prime minister, Abdullah Badawi declare his intention to create a department to monitor a waqaf, zakat dan hajj affair in Malaysia. Soon after that the so-called Waqaf, Zakat and Hajj Department (or JWZH) under Prime Minister's Department had been established. Then, the first Director General, Dr Ahmad Shah was appointed. Under the 2nd DG, Ahmad Zakri until recently Dr Suhaimi Salleh, JWZH progress. When 9th Malaysia Plan was make known in Parliament, an allocation amounting to RM250 million was given by Abdullah Badawi through JAWHAR (JWZH new's name) to develops waqf properties. To name, all Muslim Religious Councill (MRC) in every state get their "gifts". Soon after, the waqf development in every state start to "take off". "The giant start awakes" as many Muslim and waqf scholars said. [Giant refers to waqf as a big force, capacity and strength with big billions ringgit fund and properties. So until now this giants still fall asleep, nobody dares to awake him until Abdullah]. MRC of Penang got the most allocations, amounting to RM100 million for development of three hardcore waqf tenant resettlement project. JAWHAR was allocate RM1 million to establish a foundation namely, Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia, an organization with functions to supervise all waqf development projects under state MRC's. So far so good. Until come, the 12th Malaysia Election. National Front or Barisan Nasional, a coalition consists 13 political parties lost five state namely Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kelantan and Kedah and a Federal Territory to opposition [BN lost all Parliamentary seat exclude Setiawangsa and Putrajaya]. From there thing changes. Abdullah Badawi had been blamed for those losses by UMNO leaders including his prodessor, Tun Mahathir. To make thing worst, Tun Mahathir with several others even quit the party and demand Abdullah's resignation. Under pressure, Abdullah Badawi announce his voluntaryly retirement as Prime Minister and UMNO President. He will be replace by his deputy in party and government, Mohd Najib Tun Razak. That was the last episode of a happy story for waqf. After this, the waqf development in Malaysia are not certain anymore. The succes story about waqf under PM in-the-waiting-Najib is remain to be seen.