BANGI: The Selangor Zakat Board (LZS), alongside the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council Zakat Collection Centre (PPZ-MAIWP) and the Department of Waqf, Zakat and Haj (JAWHAR), has launched the inaugural Ijtimak Duat dan Asatizah Zakat (IjDAZ) 2025.
This initiative aims to reinforce Malaysia’s zakat ecosystem through collaboration and knowledge-sharing among state agencies.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, highlighted the event as a strategic step toward unifying zakat governance nationwide.
“This is a large-scale strategic initiative designed to reinforce the national zakat framework,” he said in his speech delivered by JAWHAR director-general Datuk Selamat Paigo.
The launch saw attendance from key figures, including LZS chief executive officer Mohd Khaidzir Shahari and PPZ-MAIWP chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Hakim Amir Osman.
Mohd Na’im stressed that IjDAZ should serve as a platform for exchanging best practices in fatwas, dakwah, and zakat management.
“Each state zakat agency brings its own strengths in governance, policy, and implementation—all of which should be shared to collectively strengthen national-level zakat institutions,” he said.
He added that progress in one state should foster mutual learning rather than competition.
Mohd Khaidzir noted that past zakat seminars often leaned toward academic discussions, neglecting practical challenges faced by officers. IjDAZ was designed to bridge this gap by addressing real-world issues.
“IjDAZ is not about theory or assumptions. It provides a space for honest discussion of real-world zakat practices,” he explained.
With the theme “Towards Strengthening Syariah Governance and Dakwah Among Zakat Officers in Malaysia,” the event gathered 200 preachers nationwide.
The two-day programme included strategic sessions on syariah proficiency, governance models, and fostering credible zakat advocates. – Bernama
