*PRINTING OF QUR'ANIC TEXTS ACT 1986

letters, figures, marks, symbols, signals, signs, or other forms of expression, description, or representation whatsoever;

any visual recording (whether of still or moving images);

any sound recording, or any electronic, magnetic, mechanical or other recording whatsoever and howsoever made, or any sounds, electronic impulses, or other data whatsoever;

a recording, or transmission, over a distance of any matter by any, or any combination, of the means mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), or by more than one of the means mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b),

and (d), intended to be used or which may be used for the purpose of expressing, describing, or howsoever representing, that matter;

“Islamic Religious Council” means the authority, by whatever name called, established by or under any written law for the purpose, solely or besides other purposes, of advising the head of the religion of Islam in a State or Federal Territory in matters relating to the religion of Islam;

“Lembaga” means the Lembaga Pengawalan dan Pelesenan

Pencetakan Al-Qur’an established under subsection 3(1);

“licence” means a licence issued under section 5;

“Minister” and “Ministry” mean the Minister and Ministry responsible for the licensing of printing presses;

“Mufti” means an official appointed to act as a Mufti for any State or Federal Territory under any written law relating to the administration of Islamic law;

“printing” and expressions referring to printing include writing, lithography, typewriting, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words or objects in visible form;

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 7

“Qur’anic material” means any document containing any Qur’anic

Verse, whether in Arabic writing or Braille, other than a “Qur’anic text’, as defined in this section;

“Qur’anic text” means any document containing the complete

Arabic text of the Qur’an or any part thereof, whether in Arabic writing or Braille, which contains one juzu’ or more with or without translation, or interpretation, as the case may be;

“Qur’anic Verse” includes any part of any Qur’anic Verse in

Arabic.

The Lembaga Pengawalan dan Pelesenan Pencetakan Al-Qur’an

The Lembaga shall consist of fifteen members, thirteen representing the thirteen States in Malaysia, one representing the

Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, and one being the Director General of the Department of Islamic

Development Malaysia of the Prime Minister’s Department.

The members for the States of Malacca, Penang, Sabah and

Sarawak and for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the members for the other States shall be appointed by the respective

Rulers.

Each appointed member shall serve for a term not exceeding three years and shall be eligible for reappointment.

A member of the Lembaga may, at any time, resign from his office by giving a written notice to the Lembaga and the Lembaga shall obtain the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the respective Rulers, as the case may be.

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The Lembaga shall, from time to time, elect a Chairman and a

Deputy Chairman from among its members for such term as the

Lembaga may decide.

The first Chairman and Deputy Chairman shall be elected at the first meeting of the Lembaga after the commencement of this Act, which meeting shall be convened by the Secretary General of the

Ministry and chaired by him until the Chairman and Deputy

Chairman are elected.

Subject to this section, the Lembaga shall regulate its own procedure.

The quorum for any meeting of the Lembaga shall be seven members present.

In exercising its functions under this Act, the Lembaga shall be subject to the control, supervision and direction of the Minister.

The Ministry shall provide the Lembaga with such staff, funds and other facilities as are necessary to enable it to carry out its functions under this Act.

Alternate member

When attending the meeting of the Lembaga, an alternate member shall, for all purposes, be deemed to be a member of the

Lembaga.

An alternate member may, at any time, resign from his office by giving a written notice to the Lembaga and the Lembaga shall obtain the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the respective

Rulers, as the case may be.

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 9

An alternate member shall, unless he sooner resigns under subsection (3) or his appointment is sooner revoked, cease to be an alternate member when the member in respect of whom he is an alternate member ceases to be a member of the Lembaga.

Extension of executive authority of States

that where it appears, directly or by implication, that the executive authority of a State is extended to the administration of any provision of this Act, such extension is provided by virtue of Clause (4) of Article 80 of the

Federal Constitution; and

that the conferment of powers and the imposition of duties made by this Act on any authority of the State is made by virtue of the said Article for the purpose of such extension.

Licence to print, etc., Qur’anic texts

A licence, once issued, shall continue to remain in force until revoked.

Without prejudice to subsection (4), where the Lembaga is satisfied that any person who has been issued with a licence has acted in contravention of this Act or any condition of the licence, it may, after giving such person an opportunity to show cause, revoke or suspend the licence without assigning any reason.

Where a person to whom a licence has been issued is charged with any offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder,

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the licence issued to him shall forthwith be deemed suspended and upon his being found guilty of such offence, the court shall order revocation of the licence.

A licence issued under this section shall be in addition to any licence issued under any other written law relating to the licensing of printing presses.

Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (1)

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding *fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Any person who fails to comply with or breaches any condition attached to the licence issued under this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding

**fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Submission of final proof or original copy of Qur’anic text to the

Lembaga

The certificate issued under subsection (1) shall bear an appropriate reference number and shall specify the corrections, if any, made by the Lembaga to or in respect of the Qur’anic text.

*NOTE—Previously “ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding three years”–see paragraph 5(a) Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

**NOTE—Previously “five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding one year”–see paragraph 5(b) Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 11

Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (1)

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding *fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Imported Qur’anic texts

Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (1)

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding **fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Withholding delivery of imported Qur’anic text which is not certified

Any Qur’anic text withheld under subsection (1) shall, as soon as practicable, be delivered to the Lembaga and be examined by the

Lembaga.

Where the Lembaga certify that the Qur’anic text—

*NOTE—Previously “ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding three years”–see paragraph 6(b) Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

**NOTE—Previously “ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding three years”–see paragraph 7(b) Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

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Where the person from whom the Qur’anic text was withheld fails to claim or collect the Qur’anic text within six months from the date of the notice under paragraph (3)(a) or fails to return the

Qur’anic text to the sender outside Malaysia within three months from the date of the notice under paragraph (3)(b), as the case may be, the Qur’anic text shall be disposed of in any manner the Lembaga thinks fit.

Withholding delivery of imported Qur’anic material

Any Qur’anic material withheld under subsection (1) shall, as soon as practicable, be delivered to the Lembaga and be examined by the Lembaga.

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 13

Where the Lembaga certify that the Qur’anic material—

Where the person from whom the Qur’anic material was withheld fails to claim or collect the Qur’anic material within six months from the date of the notice under paragraph (3)(a) or fails to return the Qur’anic material to the sender outside Malaysia within three months of the notice under paragraph (3)(b), as the case may be, the Qur’anic material shall be disposed of in any manner as the

Lembaga thinks fit.

Qur’anic texts to bear certain information

the name and address of its printer and publisher, or in the case of a recorded text, the person responsible for the making of the recording and publication of the recorded text;

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in the case of an imported Qur’anic text, the name and address of its importer;

the address of the place where it was printed, recorded or published;

a statement to the effect that the Qur’anic Verses contained in the text have been certified to be correct by the Lembaga in accordance with section 6 or 7; and

the reference number of the relevant certificate.

No person shall print or assist in printing, or publish or assist in publishing, any Qur’anic text which does not comply with the requirements of subsection (1) or in which any information or statement required to be borne under subsection (1) is false.

Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (2)

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding *fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Qur’anic texts to be printed, as regards Qur’anic Verses, exactly as certified

Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (1)

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding **fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

*NOTE—Previously “twenty thousand ringgit”–see paragraph 9(a) Printing of Qur’anic Texts

(Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

**NOTE—Previously “twenty thousand ringgit”–see paragraph 10(a) Printing of Qur’anic Texts

(Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 15

One copy of Qur’anic text to be delivered to Lembaga and another kept

Any person who fails to comply with the provision of subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding *fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Waste material from printing of Qur’anic texts or Qur’anic material

Except as provided in subsection (1), no person shall remove from any printing, premises, or cause, directly or by his negligence, or permit to be so removed, any waste material on which there is printed or there appears any Qur’anic Verse.

Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provision of subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding **fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

*NOTE—Previously “two thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding six months”–see paragraph 11(b) Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

**NOTE—Previously “five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding one year”–see section 12 Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

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Certifying of Qur’anic texts printed before commencement of Act

As soon as possible after receiving a Qur’anic text under subsection (1), the Lembaga shall examine the Qur’anic text and determine whether the Qur’anic Verses contained therein are correct.

If the Lembaga is satisfied that the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text are correct, the Lembaga shall so certify and shall cause a certificate to that effect to be conspicuously affixed on the first or last printed leaf thereof or, in the case of a recorded text, at a conspicuous part of the text.

The Lembaga may direct such corrections as it considers necessary to be made to the Qur’anic text before certifying under subsection (3).

If the Lembaga finds any error in the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text and that it is not suitable to direct correction under subsection (4), the Lembaga shall cause the

Qur’anic text to be destroyed in such manner as it deems proper and shall cause the person concerned to be informed of the matter and of the errors justifying the destruction.

Control of sale, distribution and publication of Qur’anic texts

Any person who contravenes of subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding

*fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Printing, distribution and possession of Qur’anic texts or

Qur’anic material containing errors

Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (1)

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding **fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Power to investigate

For the purposes of this Act, any public officer authorized in writing by the Islamic Religious Council of any State or Federal

Territory, shall have all the powers of a police officer of whatever

*NOTE—Previously “five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding two years”–see section 13

Printing of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

**NOTE—Previously “twenty thousand ringgit”–see subparagraph 14(c)(i) Printing of Qur’anic Texts

(Amendment) Act 2023 [Act A1696].

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rank as provided for in the Criminal Procedure Code [Act 593] in relation to police investigation in seizable cases, and such powers shall be in addition to the powers provided for in this Act and not in derogation thereof.

Forfeiture and disposal of Qur’anic texts or Qur’anic material

Without prejudice to subsection (1), where any person is charged in any court and it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that an offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder has been committed and that any article, including a Qur’anic text or

Qur’anic material, is the subject matter, or was used in the commission, of the offence, the court shall order the forfeiture of such article, notwithstanding that no person may have been convicted of any offence.

Any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material which is ordered to be forfeited under subsection (1) or (2) shall be delivered to the

Lembaga to be disposed of in any manner it thinks fit.

Mufti’s certificate to be conclusive proof

a certificate from any Mufti that any text or document is or contains a Qur’anic text or a Qur’anic Verse, or that any

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 19

combination of words is a Qur’anic Verse, or that there is any error in any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic Verse shall be accepted by the court as conclusive proof of the matters certified therein;

an alleged Qur’anic text or Qur’anic Verse is a Qur’anic text or Qur’anic Verse, notwithstanding that it differs in any respect from the true Qur’anic text or from any true

Qur’anic Verse, if there is produced a certificate from any

Mufti, which certificate shall be accepted by the court as conclusive proof of the matters certified therein, certifying that the alleged Qur’anic text would be the true Qur’anic text, or the alleged Qur’anic Verse would be a particular true Qur’anic Verse, specifying the Verse, if certain corrections are made or certain omissions supplied, specifying the corrections or omissions.

Power to seize, detain and search for unlawful Qur’anic texts or

Qur’anic material

Any police officer not below the rank of Inspector or any public officer authorized in writing by the Islamic Religious Council of any State or Federal Territory to apply for a warrant under this subsection may apply to a Magistrate or a Sessions Court Judge for a warrant empowering such officer to enter upon any premises and search for and seize and detain any Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material the printing, publication, importation, distribution or sale of which is

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unlawful under this Act, or which contains any error in respect of the

Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material.

An application for a warrant under subsection (2) shall be supported by an information to the effect that there is reasonable cause for suspecting that there is in the premises any Qur’anic text or

Qur’anic material the printing, publication, importation, distribution or sale of which is unlawful under this Act, or which contains any error in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material, and the Magistrate or Sessions Court Judge to whom the application is made shall, unless he has grounds to believe that the information supplied is not correct, issue the warrant applied for.

Whenever it appears to any police officer not below the rank of

Assistant Superintendent that there is reasonable cause to believe that in any premises there is concealed or deposited any Qur’anic text or

Qur’anic material the printing, publication, importation, distribution or sale of which is unlawful under this Act, or which contains any error in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained in the Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material, and he has good grounds for believing that by reason of the delay which would be entailed by obtaining a search warrant the object of the search is likely to be frustrated, he may enter and search the premises and seize and detain the Qur’anic text or

Qur’anic material as if he were empowered to do so by a warrant issued under subsection (2).

Examination and disposal of Qur’anic texts or Qur’anic material

if it is certified by the Lembaga to be correct and in accordance with the writing method determined by the

Lembaga as regards the Qur’anic Verses contained therein, it shall be returned to the person from whom it

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 21

was seized not later than six months from the date of the seizure; or

if it is certified by the Lembaga to contain any error or that it is not in accordance with the writing method determined by the Lembaga in respect of the Qur’anic Verses contained therein, it shall be disposed of in any manner the

Lembaga deems fit.

Barring of action

any offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder, as an offence which may be compounded; and

the method and procedure for compounding such offence.

The Chairman of the Lembaga or any public officer authorized in writing by the Chairman of the Lembaga may, with the consent in writing of the Public Prosecutor, at any time before a charge is being instituted, compound any offence prescribed as an offence which may

22 Laws of Malaysia ACT 326

be compounded under this Act by making a written offer to the person suspected to have committed the offence to compound the offence upon payment to the Chairman of the Lembaga of an amount of money not exceeding fifty per centum of the amount of maximum fine for that offence within such time as may be specified in the written offer.

An offer under subsection (2) may be made at any time after the offence has been committed but before any prosecution for it has been instituted.

If the amount specified in the offer is not paid within the time specified in the offer or such extended time as the Chairman of the

Lembaga may grant, prosecution for the offence may be instituted at any time after that against the person to whom the offer was made.

Where an offence has been compounded under subsection (2)—

All moneys received by the Chairman of Lembaga under this section shall be paid into and form part of the Federal Consolidated

Fund.

Presumption as to printer, etc.

Any person who would have been guilty of an offence if anything had been done or omitted by him personally shall be guilty of that offence and liable to the same penalty if the thing had been done or omitted to be done by his partner, agent or servant in the course of the partnership business or in the course of his employment, as the case may be.

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Whenever any agent or servant in the course of his employment does or omits to do any act the doing or omission to do of which is an offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder, his principal or employer shall also be guilty of the offence.

Exemption

The Minister may by order published in the Gazette exempt any person or Qur’anic text or Qur’anic material from the application of all or any of the provisions of this Act.

Regulations

for prescribing the forms to be used under this Act;

for fixing the fees to be charged under this Act;

to provide for any matter or thing which is to be or may be prescribed;

to provide for the procedure for the submission of

Qur’anic texts to the Lembaga;

to provide for the form of the certificates under this Act;

generally for carrying into effect the provisions of this

Act.

Printing of Qur’anic Texts 25

Power to issue guidelines or directives

Every guideline or directive issued under this Act or the subsidiary legislation made under this Act shall be published by the

Lembaga in such manner as to ensure that the guideline or directive is brought to the attention of the person who has to comply with such guideline or directive.

The Lembaga may impose a financial penalty for any non-compliance of any guideline or directive issued under this section—

The Lembaga may amend or revoke any guideline or directive issued under this section.

*NOTE—See section 22 of the Printing Of Qur’anic Texts (Amendment) Act 2023

[Act A1696] w.e.f 1 September 2023 which provides the following provision:

Saving