Increase In Number Of Tithe Recipients
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei saw a sudden increase in the number of tithe collection recipients in the poor and needy for the festive Hari Raya compared to the normal months.

Citing that the close to $10 million have been allocated for such a festive month like October alone this year compared to only around $2 million in a normal month, Hj Abd Wahab Hj Safar, the Acting Secretary of Islamic Religious Council told Bulletin, explaining that the sudden increase is to cater for theirAidilfitri preparations.

"In a normal month, we only give collections from tithe to some 800 eligible poor and needy recipients but prelude to Hari Raya, there have been up to 16,534 recipients (of which 3,856 recipients are head of family and 12,678 are their dependents)."

"However, the number of recipients receiving such tithe has now dropped since the past two to three years as we scrutinised them - whether they are truly eligible to receive or otherwise. We scrutinise by looking at their place, whether their children have found jobs, doing self-business and so on. The eligible recipients to receive such tithe for the poor and needy category are the elderly people who are physically handicapped, incapable of working, ill, has many small children or a divorcee who has no source of income from her husband."

The Council has listed only six out of eight categories of tithe recipients found in Brunei - namely poor, needy, 'Amil' or tithe collector, debtors, 'Musafir' or travellers and Muslim convert. There are no slaves who desire to buy freedom and 'Fisabilillah' category of recipients here in the Sultanate. Asked on the criteria looked upon before one is eligible to receive such tithe, Hj Wahab said that the council takes into account the income of the head of family, as well as the schooling and food expenditure of each dependent.

Hj Wahab also said that for those who are capable, willing to improve living standards to be more independent and not to rely on tithe, the council also contributed equipments like farming machines, manure and fishing boats. Asked on a Bulletin reader's inquiry as to why there are many recipients in the Temburong judging by its small population, Hj Wahab said though the number of head of family recipients is small, their number of dependents is large. There are 232 heads of family and 542 dependents in that district.

The Islamic Religious Council recently revealed that as for this year, $9,830,440.00 from tithe collections is distributed to 16,534 poor and needy recipients that represent 3,856 heads of family. Every head offamily receives $1,300 while his or her dependent receives $380 each. It was decided in the recent committee meeting that the tithe are channelled to banks for those who have account while those who do not will receive them through the council.

"It was only last year that we decided to give tithe monthly for a period of one year. Such a method is used to encourage wise spending. Before, we gave the tithe in two sessions - namely at the end of year when new school term is about to open and prior to the festive Hari Raya," he added.

Hj Wahab advised the recipients to improve themselves, their life and not to be dependent on tithe. They should strive to carry out self-business, be a fisherman, be a water taxi operator, citing that it is riot wise to receive such tithe if the person is not eligible as it is not their rights.

The council receives between $11 to $15 million tithe annually. The remaining tithe from previous years and dividends from the bank (where the tithe are deposited) are also used in tithe distribution.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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