Zakat fitrah in Pahang remains at RM7

PEKAN, April 7 -- The zakat fitrah (personal tithe) rate in Pahang this year, remains at RM7 per person, said State Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Hairi Hussain.

He said the rate remains unchaged with the consent of Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, as the Head of the Islamic religion in the state.

Ahmad Hairi said a total of 942 amil (zakat collectors) had also been appointed to handle the zakat payments in the state.

“However, in an effort to break the chain of COVID-19 infection, we encourage Muslims to make payments online through ezakat.muip.gov.my or the PahangGo application,” he told a press conference, here today.

On the manual zakat payment method, Ahmad Hairi said although there would be no handshake between the amil and the zakat payer, the recitation of brief prayer is still allowed.

“Apart from observing a one-metre distance, amil ​​should wear face masks, gloves, use hand sanitiser and ensure that counter is always clean,” he said.

He said individuals with symptoms such as fever, cough, as well as flu are not allowed to be present at the zakat fitrah collection point and only one zakat payer is allowed to be at the payment counter at any one time.

“Zakat payers need to provide the exact amount of money and must disperse immediately after the payment process is completed,” he said, adding that those who want to make payments at mosques and surau, can only do so starting from the dawn until dusk.

Ahmad Hairi said zakat fitrah counters in the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) areas, are strictly not allowed.

Meanwhile, he said last year, MUIP collected RM6.1 million in zakat fitrah from over one million payers.

For this year, more than RM4.6 million would be spent to help the needy in their preparations for Aidilfitri, while RM1.8 million would be distributed to other recipients, including Muslim converts and RM3.5 million for the Ihya Ramadan aid for mosques in Pahang, he added.

-- BERNAMA