Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for the reorganisation of tareqat groups in the country to ensure that they not only follow the true teachings of Islam but are more dynamic and progressive in serving society, country and religion.

Therefore, he suggested that each religious department in the country emulate the Negri Sembilan Mufti Department to introduce a Jalsah Tareqat Sufiyyah body, which is responsible for providing the enactments for tareqat groups, in order to control and monitor tareqat activities.

He said this in his speech which was read out by Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor in conjunction with the 'Zikir Perdana' Programme 2015 organised by Pertubuhan Tarekat Muktabar Malaysia (Pertama) here Saturday.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Malaysian Islamic Development Department director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha and Pertama president Datuk Ibrahim Ashari. "As Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, it is my wish to see Pertama and other tareqat members contribute to the our country's development," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said he also hoped that Pertama will cooperate with other parties to tackle ideologies other than the Sunnah Wal Jamaah teachings such as syiah, secularism, liberalism and others, by increasing love for Allah and His Messenger, and by sticking to the four schools of Islamic thought namely Shafie, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali.

"It is important to curb other ideologies in order to maintain the harmony in the country," he said.

He said that he understood that Pertama's members are among religious schools teachers, lecturers, businessmen, activists of non-governmental organisations and members of professional bodies.

"In this regard, I hope that Pertama will reform and improve to play a positive role towards building civilised human beings and at the same time to emerge as a well-known institution in da'wah and spiritual development," he said.