Bank Islam gives zakat to 50 beneficiaries

KOTA KINABALU: Fifty beneficiaries received zakat (alms for the poor and needy) from Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad during its East Malaysia Region Hari Raya open house yesterday.

The zakat amounting to RM52,500, was given to asnaf (the poor and needy who are eligible to receive zakat), who were students, single mothers, new Muslim converts and senior citizens.

RM35,000 and RM10,000 were allotted to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) respectively.

Meanwhile, 20 primary school students from SK Pendidikan Khas Sabah and 30 asnaf received RM150 each.

Presenting the zakat during the event, which was held at the Pacific Sutera Harbour Resort here, was Bank Islam chief executive officer Khairul Kamarudin.

Khairuddin said during his speech that in conjunction with this year’s Aidilfitri, Bank Islam took the opportunity to fulfill its responsibility to pay zakat, hoping that it would brighten up the Aidilfitri celebration among the asnaf.

According to him, Bank Islam had distributed RM393,576.87 of zakat for 2017 not only to the poor but also to non-government organizations for development activities, including the construction of surau, mosques and schools in Sabah.

Among the activities were Bank Islam Housing Aid Project, Religious Institution Development programmes, university seminars, academic materials printings, preaching activities and ‘Surau Imarah’ awards to schools.

Throughout Malaysia, Bank Islam had distributed more than RM13.3 million of 2017 zakat and a large number of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes were also carried out in line with annual zakat programs.