Baitulmal expects 5 pct increase in S’wak’s zakat collection
KUCHING: Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak (TBS) expects to record a five per cent increase in its total zakat (tithe) collection this year.
TBS general manager Datuk Abang Mohd Shibli Abang Mohd Nailie said this is based on the increase in zakat collection through salary deductions.
“We can see that about 67 per cent of zakat collection is from salary deduction. God willing, we hope that, the more we collect, the more assistance we can provide and distribute to those who are in need,” he said after receiving business tithe from Bank Islam yesterday.
He said thanks to salary deductions, the amount of zakat collected in Sarawak for 2022 rose by 1.45 per cent to RM117.7 million compared to RM116.2 million in 2021.
“Although the figure is not huge as compared to other states, however for Sarawak, it is still a good figure for the state,” he said.
On those who receive aid from Baitulmal, Abang Mohd Shibli said the aid is distributed in various forms and channels according to its programmes.
“The Baitulmal aid recipients will receive assistance based on programmes that we have set. We have four programmes. First, providing education assistance; second welfare assistance; thirdly assistance through institutions; and fourthly providing skills and training assistance.
“Every year, we will distribute 80 per cent of the total tithe collection to those needy and destitute groups.
“We will make sure that those who really need the assistance will receive the aid, especially the ‘asnaf’, which means those who are in need. This is our responsibility to provide them aid to ease their burden,” he added.
For this year until last month, TBS has received almost RM15 million in zakat and around RM13.2 million has been distributed to those in need.
On the RM875,000 business tithe for 2022 presented by Bank Islam Group chief executive officer Muazzam Mohamed, he said it will be distributed to the eight groups of beneficiaries as specified in the Al-Quran.
In Islam, ‘asnaf’ refers to those entitled to receive tithes such as the destitute, Muslim converts, tithe collectors, orphans, and single mothers.