Thus, the amount of potential collected alms in the Netherlands is quite huge.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian National Alms Agency (Baznas) has planned to establish Alms Collecting Units (UPZs) at Indonesian Embassies (KBRIs) to facilitate the collection and management of alms to improve the people's welfare and alleviate poverty.

Head of Baznas Noor Achmad delivered this information after a meeting with Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mayerfas, regarding the attempt to strengthen the handling of alms in Europe, as quoted from a statement received here on Thursday.

Achmad remarked that the alms collected from KBRIs can be disbursed to Indonesian students or migrant workers (TKIs) in need of assistance. The aid will be handed to students and workers living in European and Middle Eastern countries.

"Hence, we initiated the formation of UPZs at the KBRIs," he stated.


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Meanwhile, the Indonesian ambassador has highly welcomed Baznas’ plan to establish UPZ in the Netherlands since there are several Indonesian citizens living in the European country and quite a handful of Dutch citizens are Muslims.

"We estimate that the number of Indonesians in the Netherlands reaches around 400 thousand, but I do not know the exact number of Muslims among them,” he noted.

However, he remarked that by assessing the number of participants at several gatherings conducted by the Indonesian Embassy in Den Haag, Muslims constituted a major chunk of the total number of Indonesians living in the country.


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He also noted that there are Indonesian mosques in Netherlands, specifically in Den Haag and Amsterdam.

In addition, he stated that there are quite a lot of mosques in the Netherlands.

"Thus, the amount of potential collected alms in the Netherlands is quite huge. We will consult with the Foreign Affairs Ministry regarding the idea from Baznas,” Mayerfas added.

Furthermore, he stated that there is an opportunity for Baznas to also open UPZs in other European countries since Muslim residents in the continent were often clueless as to where to disburse their alms.


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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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