Azman Amin to head inter-faith panel

The Star 

PETALING JAYA: National Unity and Integration Department director-general Datuk Azman Amin Hassan (pic) has been appointed the new chairman of the Inter-faith Relations Working Committee.

He replaces the late Datuk Ilani Ishak, who died in February.

Azman Amin said it was an honour to be appointed to a role which promoted inter-religious understanding and harmony.

“This is a very important responsibility that has been given to me and the first thing that I need to do is to get the support of both the Muslims and non-Muslims,” he said.

Azman Amin, who has worked with the committee secretariat before, said he would have more interactions with those working on inter-faith relations to improve rapport.

“I will continue to work on the targets set by Ilani before she passed away.

“There are many things that need to be done as the work of the panel was halted for a few months after her death.

“Hopefully, we can progress further despite the religious tensions that we have been experiencing lately,” he added.

He said a meeting with the committee members and two Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom would be scheduled by next month.

Azman Amin, 58, is a mass communication graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia and has been serving at the National Unity and Integration Department since 1977.

He will continue to hold his position at the department.