Padang mayor mandates Koran recitation for city employees

Padang - A West Sumatra mayor issued Thursday a new policy requiring regional employees to recite the Koran prior to work in an effort to curb corruption.

"Exterminating corrupt practices among civil servants in Padang is necessary and this disease needs to be eliminated by all means," Bahar said, as quoted by kompas.com.

Under the new policy, Padang regional office employees who are Muslim are required to recite passages from the Koran for 10 minutes at the start of their workday.

"This program is inspired by a similar policy among Muslim members of the National Police," he said, adding that the initiative is aimed at purifying the soul.

Corrupt practices stem from a diseased heart and greed, Bahar said, and the Koran is a remedy for that.

Bahar said he was confident the new initiative could help pave the way for change in the bureacracy. (amr)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com (January 15, 2009)
Photo Credit: http://zqspye.blogspot.com/

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