KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) has disbursed RM733,262,510 in zakat funds, which benefitted approximately 170,000 destitute and poor individuals as of October this year.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said currently, State Islamic Religious Councils (MAIN) and Zakat Management Agencies (AMZ) are using the kifayah limit method in determining the type and amount of aid distributed to all eligible asnaf groups (tithe recipients).
“By identifying clear target groups and utilising this kifayah limit method, systematic distribution can be carried out more effectively. Any issues related to collection and distribution will constantly be scrutinised and discussed by all MAIN/AMZ through two main mechanisms.
“These mechanisms are through the State Zakat Management Council (MPZN) managed by secretariats appointed by the respective MAIN/AMZ and the Coordination Meeting for Zakat Programmes with MAIN/AMZ, managed by the Department of Endowment, Zakat and Haj (JAWHAR),” he said.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Mohd Hisamudin Yahaya at the Dewan Negara today regarding the government’s efforts to alleviate the burden of the needy, particularly the destitute and poor asnaf, amidst the uncertain economic conditions and rising prices of goods.
Mohd Na’im said that in the Federal Territories, MAIWP offers 38 assistance schemes covering the welfare cluster, medical cluster, education cluster, protection/housing cluster, economic cluster, as well as dakwah and ummah development cluster.
In response to Mohd Hisamudin’s original question about the government’s effort to prevent overlapping of zakat distribution to target groups, Mohd Na’im said MAIN or AMZ would conduct cross-checks between the data of asnaf and aid beneficiaries.
He said that the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) is currently developing the Central Database Hub (PADU), which would allow MAIN or AMZ to perform real-time or near real-time data checks to expedite the distribution of zakat.
JAWHAR, together with MAIN/AMZ, welcomes this initiative and is preparing relevant data assets in line with DOSM requirements, he added.
He also said that the strategic collaboration between federal agencies and MAIN or AMZ coordinated by JAWHAR had facilitated data sharing among agencies, thus helping to prevent overlapping in the distribution of zakat to asnaf.–Bernama
