Melaka, Johor, Negeri Sembilan Announce Zakat Fitrah Rates

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) -- The states of Melaka, Johor and Negeri Sembilan today announced their respective zakat fitrah (personal tithe) rates based on the current price of rice according to the variety and type commonly consumed by Muslims.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the zakat fitrah payments in the state remained at the rates of RM7, RM14 and RM21 per person.

He said Zakat Melaka was targeting a collection of RM5.9 million this year compared to RM5.75 million last year.

"Zakat Melaka has also appointed 1,029 ‘amil’ (zakat collectors) throughout the state, comprising 385 in Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah (248), Jasin (216) and 180 among agencies to collect zakat fitrah throughout the state," he told reporters.

According to Ab Rauf, apart from payments to amils, zakat payers can also pay through the www.izakat.com website, DuitNow QRPay, Maybank internet banking, the MelakaPay portal and the MelakaPay application.

In JOHOR, Johor State Islamic Religious Council (MAINJ) has set the rates of RM7, RM12 and RM20 per person this year, as agreed upon in the Johor State Fatwa Committee meeting.

State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the rate was based on the measurement of one Baghdad bushel or 2.6 kilogrammes (kg)  of rice.

"The rate of RM7 is for consumers of Super Tempatan rice variety, RM12 for other for users of rice other than the Super Tempatan type, which includes imported rice, and RM20 for consumers of basmati and Super Wangi rice,” he told reporters here today.

In NEGERI SEMBILAN, the Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (MAINS) announced the rates RM7, RM12.50 and RM22 per person this year.

MAINS also announced that it would spend up to over RM17 million of zakat funds for various types of aid, including for the needy, poor, and necessities for the ‘asnaf’ (zakat recipients) throughout Ramadan.

-- BERNAMA