The provincial government of South Sulawesi has decided that ability to read the Koran is a must for Muslim citizens.

The chairman of the local parliament, Agus Arifin Nu’mang, declared yesterday that all parties in the legislature had agreed on the new ruling.

The lieutenant governor of Sulawesi Selatan, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, explained that knowledge of the Koran was sorely lacking among large elements of the population, hence the need for proactive measures on the part of the government.

It’s at the point where the administration feels it necessary to make a koran learning regulation.

The head of the local education department, H.A. Patabai Pabokori, elaborated further on the dire problem of Koran ignorance among the citizens of his fair province, saying that 10 to 15% of Muslims could not make head nor tail of the Koran. He too stressed the need for the machinery of the state to be rolled into action. He said:

Apart from [the publication/distribution of] guide books, in a short time training programs for teachers of religion will be implemented so that the quality of their understanding can be improved.