Mayor requires Koran reading

TANGERANG: All Muslim civil servants in Tangerang are now required to read the Koran for 90 minutes every Friday morning in a bid to encourage akhlakul kharimah -- the Islamic virtues of honesty, discipline and loyalty.

Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim launched the mandatory program on Friday, his second move following an earlier ruling this year requiring all Muslim civil servants to wear traditional prayer costumes on Fridays.

"The move aims to improve Muslim civil servants' skills, not only to read the Koran, but also to comprehend and implement its good teachings," Wahidin said.

The mayor has ordered City Secretary Harry Mulya Zain to monitor the program.-- JP