There is a need to create a team of Sabah State Dakwah Expert Panel in an effort to pioneer cooperation in developing dakwah work between departments and agencies of this state and the federation.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Datuk Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad Al Bakri said this was important in coordinating cooperation involving various issues on religious affairs, especially dakwah (preaching).

"We want to hold a special meeting with the Sabah Islamic Religious Council as well as the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department, Sabah Mufti Department to join and cooperate with Sabah Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and several others.

"We are working towards better coordination and we have a role to play and if there is an initiative by the state we will support," he told reporters here today.

Earlier, he attended the 'Majlis Amanat Negeri' ceremony and presented zakat contributions from Lembaga Tabung Haji amounting to RM36,300 to 121 asnaf students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (Perempuan) (SMP) Likas, here today.

Zulkifli said efforts to create the dakwah expert panel would begin in the near future with discussions between relevant departments and agencies to look into the appropriate cooperation.

-- BERNAMA