By Achong Tanjong
"The Islamic Religious
Council of the Ministry of Religious Affairs distributed a total
of B$4,542,598 from Kumpulan Wang Zakat (Alms) fund to the
country's poor and needy last year," the Minister of
Religious Affairs, Pehin Dato (Dr.) Haji Md. Zain said in a
meeting with alms collectors (AMIL) yesterday.
"Such a meeting," the
minister explained: " was aimed at updating the list of the
poor and needy, which the Islamic Religious Council refers from
to distribute the alms (Wang Zakat)."
"There are a total of
3,961 registered poor in the country; 3,089 are heads of
families; 872 dependants," he stated. "All of them
have received alms, which were presented on two occasions last
year - before the Hari Raya celebrations and at the end of the
year 2002."
"The distribution of such
alms before the start of the Raya celebrations was in line with
"Syara" principles, where the poor would (equally) be
able to celebrate the festivities with joy," he explained.
"The second such
distribution (at the end of the year) was aimed at lending the
families a helping hand to prepare their children's schooling
needs," he went on to say.
Out of the 3,961 needy
individuals, a total of 927 people - 274 are heads of families,
653 dependants - receive monthly financial assistance in the
form of cash and basic necessities such a daily food supplies.
The minister added that the
meeting aimed at shedding light on the plan of updating the list
of the poor and to explain ways of implementing such an
objective.
"As an 'early step' of
preparation," the minister said that: "the Ministry of
Religious Affairs had turned to UBD experts to prepare suitable
forms."
However, he reminded members of
the public that forms should be returned to respective officers
of their own district.
Various schemes have been
implemented by the Islamic Religious Council based on the needs
of the eligible alms recipients such as monthly expenses,
accommodation, school, daily necessities and entrepreneurship
assistance.
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