BY MA CHEE SENG & ELLISIA TINGASS
KUCHING: Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak (TBS) collected a total of RM4.05 million in zakat fitrah (tithe) throughout the Ramadan period.
Its general manager Datuk Abang Mohd Shibli Abang Mohd Nailie said the collection was based on a payment rate of RM7 for each individual.
He said the amount is an indication of the obligation to pay zakat fitrah by the Muslim community.
“This year, if we look at the trend, it shows that the increase in zakat fitrah is not very high because the payment rate remains at RM7.
“However, in terms of the increase in the number of individuals who are eligible to pay zakat, it has multiplied because even a new-born baby is required to pay zakat under the responsibility of their parents,” he told reporters during the TBS open house at the TBS headquarters here today.
He said TBS also encourages the payment of zakat on wealth involving deductions from employees’ salaries.
“Of course, we encourage the deduction of zakat from salaries, and if we look at it, 65 per cent of TBS’s zakat collection comes from salary deductions.
“It is easy and not too burdensome, because what is important is that we fulfil our obligation.
“We are grateful not only to the zakat payers but also to the employers who are willing to cooperate so that we can return the collected zakat to those who are eligible,” Abang Shibli said.
He said TBS accepts the payment of zakat on wealth throughout the year, not just during Ramadan, and currently, the trend for zakat collection is increasing because many among the Muslim community have realised that paying zakat is their obligation.
“We encourage them to pat through salary deductions, through which employees are not burdened as the payment is made in instalments over a period of 12 months.
“In addition, we also like to encourage the public to pay zakat online. This method has also been well received by the community,” he added.
Meanwhile, the TBS open house saw Etiqa Takaful handing over business zakat amounting to RM1.06 million, which was presented by its deputy chief executive officer Mohamad Yunos Mohd So’od, to Abang Shibli.
