The Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Alms Agency (Baznas) have teamed up to enhance the welfare of border communities through empowerment initiatives.
This public welfare partnership was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Baznas and the ministry's National Border Management Agency (BNPP) in Jakarta on Thursday (October 9).
In a statement cited here on Friday, BNPP Deputy for the Management of Border Region Infrastructure Ramses Limbong noted that the cooperation is expected to reach 204 sub-districts in 55 districts and cities across the country’s borderlines.
"Intervention is urgently needed not only in terms of education, health, and transportation because there are some border regions whose residents rely on neighboring countries for electricity and internet," he pointed out.
He expressed confidence that the BNPP–Baznas collaboration could help assure border citizens that the government is present for them, which is crucial to help them maintain their love for Indonesia.
"Hopefully, our good intention will bring about benefits and positive impacts on Indonesia's integrity, as well as boost the welfare of our brothers and sisters who reside in border regions," Limbong stated.
For his part, Baznas Deputy for Distribution and Empowerment Imdadun Rahmat explained that the cooperation aligns with the Law on the Management of Zakat (Islamic alms), which mandates the state to utilize zakat to improve people’s welfare, alleviate poverty, and lower social discrepancies.
He noted that Baznas and BNPP would work hand in hand to carry out programs dedicated to improving the quality and accessibility of services across sectors for border regions, notably health and education.
The cooperation, he continued, is also expected to boost the collection of zakat in outermost regions and expand its contribution to public welfare.
"Most importantly, zakat management must remain in compliance with Islamic laws, national regulations, and the integrity of Indonesia to build public trust," Rahmat concluded.
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Translator: Sean F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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