KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) needs to coordinate the distribution of zakat aid with other agencies to ensure that the funds reach those who are truly in need.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that if there is no coordination, there will be a family that will receive help several times while another family will not receive any assistance at all.
"One of MAIWP's tasks is to coordinate with other agencies, otherwise one family will get four times (of aid), and another family will not receive any assistance at all... hence, I hope this will be managed properly.
"The minister, deputy minister and chairman, their jobs are not just to continue these activities but to ensure that every cent from the people returns to the people and cannot be used for personal matter,” he said when officiating the 2024 MAIWP Carnival at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa on Sunday (Feb 18).
Anwar also wants MAIWP to exercise good governance and stop all unnecessary expenses to ensure that the agency becomes a symbol of ummah pride.
To further improve the agency's performance and identify any weaknesses in zakat management, the Prime Minister has given MAIWP a month to submit a detailed report and propose new measures.
According to Anwar, it can serve as a model for agencies in other states.
"Our responsibility (as) the next generation is to ensure that zakat affairs are managed carefully; that's why I said in Penang (previously), how can we accept the fact that we collect so much zakat money but there are still the poor who don't have enough to eat, who could not provide uniforms for their school-going children, still not taken care of.
"I would like to thank MAIWP and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall for helping the zakat distribution process with other agencies well,” he said. - Bernama
