Director General for Islamic Community Guidance at the Religious Affairs Ministry Muhibuddin highlighted the need to be careful in managing funds of the community, or zakat (Islamic alms), to maintain public trust in philanthropic institutions.

“Of course, being careful is the principle of managing philanthropic funds. That way, we will not get caught up in money politics or even boosting someone’s electability and then betraying the public trust,” Muhibuddin stated at the Living Room discussion on Countering the Use of Public Generosity Funds for Electoral Interests, followed online on Friday.

He noted that ahead of the political year of 2024, there is the potential for money politics in zakat funds. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, as a supervisory institution, continues to voice neutrality to the public and maintain public trust.

Philanthropic institutions have also been regulated in the Regulation of the National Alms Agency (Perbaznas) Number 1 of 2018.

“There is Perbaznas Number 1 of 2018. In the Ministry of Religious Affairs, there are also a circular from the minister and release related to caution in managing the funds of ummah (Muslim community),” he remarked.

He further said that if public trust is broken, the community will no longer trust their funds to be managed by zakat management institutions.

To this end, zakat management institutions and the Ministry of Religious Affairs are always careful in conducting their zakat managers to not carry out practices that are against the state, and those who are intolerant will be prosecuted according to sharia.

He noted that to prevent cases of misappropriation of funds, the collaboration with law enforcers is needed in order to supervise the management of zakat funds.

Source: Antara News