RM833 million in zakat from mains to 480,000 eligible individuals

SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (MAINS) distributed RM833 million in zakat (tithe) collection to 480,000 asnaf (eligible) individuals between 2004 and 2017.
The state government portal reported that MAINS had collected RM670 million in property zakat and zakat fitrah (alms) during the same period, with RM148 million of it distributed to the poor through the Food Aid and Cash Aid programmes.
In 2017 alone, 5,761 eligible needy individuals benefited from the Monthly Aid programme for the destitutes and poor.
According to the portal, MAINS also provided medical aid and haemodialysis treatment to the tune of RM65 million to 44,000 individuals between 2004 and 2017.
With regard to Education Aid (from preschool to secondary school), a total of RM44 million had been given out to 106,000 students within the same period.
MAINS had given entrepreneurship financial assistance amounting to RM10 million to 5,129 individuals during the same period.
It also held entrepreneurship courses including a series of 48 cookery classes for 386 needy people and a series of 33 tailoring classes for another 330 beneficiaries.
However, MAINS does not depend solely on zakat collections for its operations and contributions to the asnaf group, as it also has other sources of income such as rental from buildings at RM1.8 million per year from 77 lots it owns, as well as from leasing of palm oil land and quarry.
It earned an annual income of RM1.6 million by leasing four pieces of oil palm land amounting to1,643.83 hectares and RM2.2 million annually by leasing a 44.06 ha quarry in Labu, near here, the report said. — Bernama