Malaysia needs waqf law overhaul to revitalise the sector, say experts
KUALA LUMPUR - A shabby plot of land on Jalan Ipoh, one of the main arterial roads into Kuala Lumpur, continues to lie vacant after many years while the blocks around it have sprung high-rise offices, shops and food outlets.
It is unlikely this lot will be developed as long as Malaysia’s restrictive waqf laws remain in place, even though developers have been clamouring to transform the land.
The fault of this plot is that it was bequeathed for the specific purpose of accommodating a mosque. As the law stands, the land parcel can only be developed in this way, which would in turn bring it in direct competition with a sizeable, established mosque, Masjid Abu Hurairah barely 100 metres along the road.
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