Kota Kinabalu: Muslims are advised to continue fulfilling their zakat payment obligation.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Arif, said Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis), which is responsible for managing zakat and fitrah under the Zakat and Fitrah Enactment 1993, distributes zakat to those who are entitled to receive it.
“I would like to emphasise that last year zakat collection by Muis amounted to RM145 million, an increase of RM15 million.
“In 2023, we distributed 97 per cent. We collected RM145 million and distributed RM142 million.
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Arifin, who is also Sabah State Exco for Religion and Education, revealed that the total amount of zakat collected by the body as of May 19, 2024, was RM46,779,145.63, while the amount distributed reached RM42,195,277.13.
“This year, we have collected RM46 million until May, and RM42 million we have already distributed. This is the proof that the zakat presented to Muis based on the existing enactment must be paid by Muis.
“We will distribute it to the asnaf group, and hopefully this year the zakat collection will increase,” he told the media at the Bank Rakyat Business Zakat handing over ceremony at Istana Seri Kinabalu.
Arifin said two major contributors to zakat are employment zakat with salary deductions by officials from the government and private sectors and business zakat.
Meanwhile, Bank Rakyat’s Chief Syariah Officer, Mohd Zamery Abdul Razak, expressed his gratitude for the Sabah government’s cooperation, which enabled the bank to record an increase in the amount of zakat last year.
“We thank the State government and Muis for their cooperation and support to Bank Rakyat. We can see an increase in the amount of zakat paid this year.
“Actually, the increase is the result of an increase in the amount of operating profit in Sabah. The calculation method at Bank Rakyat is that we distribute zakat according to the operating profit of the State.
“If in Sabah the profitability of the operation increases, then the zakat will automatically increase,” he said.
At the event, Mohd Zamery handed over business zakat amounting to RM1,352,340 to Muis President, Datuk Yahya Hussin, and was witnessed by Head of State, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.
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