KUALA LUMPUR: Three states and the Federal Territories today announced their respective rates of zakat fitrah (tithe), based on the current price of rice according to the grade and type commonly consumed by Muslims.

The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) has set three rates of zakat fitrah for zakat payers in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, namely RM7, RM15 and RM22 per person, as agreed upon in the Syariah Legal Consultative Committee Meeting for the Federal Territories.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, said that the rate of RM7 for zakat fitrah is based on one gantang Baghdad, equivalent to the price of 2.7 kilogrammes (kg) of rice commonly used by the community in the Federal Territories.

“Meanwhile, the other two rates are RM15 per person for consumers of premium imported rice and RM22 per person for consumers of basmati rice.”

He said this when met during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) here.

In TERENGGANU, State Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIDAM) president, Datuk Shaikh Harun Shaikh Ismail, said that the zakat fitrah rate is set between RM10 to RM22 per person according to the grade and type consumed.

In PENANG, the State Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) has set three rates of zakat fitrah, namely RM7, RM14 and RM21.

“For those who consume imported rice such as parboiled rice, Thai rice, imported white rice, brown rice and the like, or equivalent the rate is RM14. For those who consume fragrant rice, glutinous rice, basmati or similar types the rate is RM21,“ he said.

In SABAH, the zakat fitrah rate is set at RM7.50 for each Muslim in the state, based on one gantang Baghdad measurement, equivalent to 2.7 kg of rice consumed by the majority of the state’s population.

Sabah Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) president, Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin, said that a total of 2,200 amil representatives have been appointed to oversee the collection and coordination of zakat fitrah throughout Ramadan this year. -Bernama