
Former Johor mufti Nooh Gadot named Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1447h
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Former Johor Mufti Datuk Nooh Gadot has been named the recipient of the National Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1447H/2025M award.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, presented the award, which includes a cash prize, a trophy and a certificate of appreciation, to the prominent Islamic scholar at the national-level Maal Hijrah Celebration held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre here today.
Nooh, 79, was born in Kampung Tekam, Pogoh in Segamat and currently serves as Adviser to the Johor Islamic Religious Council.
He served as Johor Mufti from 1999 to 2002 and was appointed in 2008 as the Religious Adviser to the then Sultan of Johor, the late Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail.
A holder of a PhD in Human Development from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Nooh has received several accolades, including the Johor Tokoh Maal Hijrah 2009 award and the National Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1434H/2013M award.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Nooh expressed his gratitude for the honour.
'May this recognition motivate me to continue serving the ummah and upholding the syiar of Islam,' he said.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia Minister of Haj and Umrah, Tawfig Fawzan Muhammed Al-Rabiah, 60, was named the recipient of the International Tokoh Maal Hijrah award. He also received a cash prize, a trophy and a certificate.
Tawfig has played a pivotal role in modernising pilgrimage services through digital initiatives and international cooperation, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 agenda.
He is also recognised as a reformist in the transformation of Saudi Arabia's health and industrial sectors.
A respected scholar, he has authored over 16 research papers in international journals and co-authored a book on high-speed networking, among others.
Accompanying His Majesty to the event was Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar.
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar and Cabinet ministers.
Nearly 8,000 attendees including contingents from ministries, government agencies and foreign representatives enlivened the event. — Bernama
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
![[UPDATED] Armed Forces must be prepared with latest defence technology](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FSultan_Ibrahim2806_1751083949.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[UPDATED] Armed Forces must be prepared with latest defence technology](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75)
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Armed Forces must be prepared with latest defence technology
KUALA LUMPUR: The increasingly challenging and uncertain global political landscape requires that the Armed Forces (MAF) remain ever ready and equipped with the latest defence technology to face any eventuality. His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, said the Iran-Israel war and prolonged conflict in Gaza clearly show that international laws are no longer sufficient to safeguard global peace. "It is crucial for the MAF to always be prepared and equipped with the latest technology to deal with any possibility, as we don't know who is a friend and who is an enemy," His Majesty said. The King said this when officiating the commissioning parade and presentation of appointment letters to Armed Forces cadet officers at Kem Perdana, Sungai Besi here today. At the same time, Sultan Ibrahim reminded the government to ensure that there is no political interference or influence from suppliers in all defence procurement processes. "MAF top leadership, too, must always act with integrity and steer clear of corrupt practices. As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, I will not tolerate anyone who abuses their position for personal gain," said His Majesty. Sultan Ibrahim also expressed concern over the culture of social media use among military personnel and reminded them not to share everything online, particularly information related to troop deployments, unit locations and other sensitive details. He said the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel showed how both sides have easily exploited information obtained through technology companies, smart applications and social media to launch attacks. "I want this to stop immediately. Use sound judgment and refrain from disclosing unnecessary information to the public. It is better to be cautious now than to regret later," His Majesty said. Meanwhile, Sultan Ibrahim congratulated the 509 cadet officers who completed their training today and reminded them that a career in the military demands great sacrifices, personal strength, honesty and unwavering loyalty to the king and country. His Majesty also called on them to be leaders who uphold discipline, train their personnel effectively, and prioritise their welfare, while also expressing appreciation to the parents who entrusted their beloved children to serve in the MAF. The ceremony was also attended by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Khaled Nordin, Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar, Army Chief Gen Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, Navy Chief Admiral Tan Sri Dr Zulhelmy Ithnain and Air Force Chief Gen Datuk Muhamad Norazlan Aris. — Bernama


Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Expediting reforms will make tax hikes easier to swallow, govt told
World Bank's lead economist for Malaysia, Apurva Sanghi, said reducing spending would not be easy as most of it involved 'rigid' costs such as wages, pensions and debt service. PETALING JAYA : The World Bank's lead economist for Malaysia, Apurva Sanghi, says expediting reforms – such as enacting a government procurement law – will make the public less hostile towards tax hikes. In a post on X on the expansion of the sales and service tax, Apurva pointed out that the auditor-general regularly uncovered losses in public funds, irregular payments and wastages across various ministries. While some reforms have been carried out, a specific law to oversee government procurement has been delayed, he said. Apurva said reforms would build public trust, which in turn would make it 'easier to swallow bitter tax hikes'. 'Tax hikes are painful but people can bear them, if they're meaningful. 'This means faster progress, especially on governance reforms and that would increase trust.' Apurva said trust was the ultimate currency for any government. On comparisons made between the SST and the goods and services tax, Apurva said that while both were regressive, it could be made progressive via targeted cash transfers and exemptions. 'The current SST expansion does include progressive elements.' On June 9, the finance ministry announced that a 5% to 10% rate would be imposed on non-essential goods from July 1, although basic necessities would not be taxed. The announcement has triggered brickbats. Apurva also responded to those questioning the government's decision to raise taxes instead of reducing spending. He said while it was a fair question, the country needed to spend more, which meant it needed to raise more revenue. The finance ministry previously said that the SST collection is expected to increase by RM5 billion in 2025 and by RM10 billion in 2026, following the expansion of its scope. Apurva noted that both revenue and spending had dropped by 30% since 2012, which was well below those of global peers. 'Spending needs are only growing, especially as Malaysia ages,' he said, adding that reducing spending would not be easy as most of it involved 'rigid' costs such as wages, pensions and debt service which accounted for 57% of operation expenditure.


Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Plug leakages to ensure SST income not squandered, govt told
The government expects to generate an additional RM5 billion from the upcoming SST this year, and RM10 billion from 2026 onwards. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The government needs to plug inefficiencies in its departments and agencies to ensure the additional RM10 billion in yearly revenue expected from an expansion of the sales and service tax (SST) regime is spent wisely, an economist said. Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff of Putra Business School said the government is currently prioritising procurement reform by introducing an open tender system to replace direct negotiations. Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff. He said the open tender system offers a more structured approach which is essential to prevent wastage in public spending. 'Reforms to the procurement system are vital if we want to discourage graft and ensure that the additional RM10 billion in revenue earned from the expanded SST is not dissipated. 'Statistics show that a majority of cases involving wastage, leakages and corruption stem from a weak procurement system,' he told FMT. In a recent interview with FMT, Treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican said the government was in the midst of reforming the procurement system to ensure revenue is spent optimally and to curb leakages. Johan said the government was expected to generate an additional RM5 billion this year from the SST expansion which kicks in next month. The SST is expected to generate RM10 billion annually beginning next year. Earlier this month, the finance ministry announced that a 5% to 10% rate will be imposed on non-essential goods from July 1, including rent, lease, construction, financial services, private healthcare and education. However, basic necessities will retain its tax exempt status. With the expansion, the government expects the SST to generate RM51.7 billion in revenue this year. Afzanizam Rashid. Separately, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said the procurement reforms, being implemented alongside the SST, would help narrow the country's fiscal deficit. He said the dual initiatives would broaden fiscal space, enabling the government to enhance social assistance and allocate more funds for infrastructure development. Afzanizam said the increase in service tax to 8% in March last year bumped up SST collection by 30.3% in the first quarter of this year. Meanwhile, the implementation of targeted diesel subsidies has reduced spending on subsidies and social aid by 19.4%. 'The increased tax collection and reduced spending saw the fiscal deficit drop to 4.5% of the gross domestic product for the first quarter of 2024. 'This has allowed the government to increase aid for its Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programmes to RM13 billion this year, up from RM10 billion in 2024.'