"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono directly paid Rp20.7 million for this years income-based zakat mal and Rp1 million for zakat fitrah of 14 people," Chairman of the National Alms Agency (Baznas) Didin Hafidhuddin stated here on Wednesday.
President Yudhoyono in a meeting with Baznas noted that he will directly convey to the president elected by the people to support Baznas, which has an important role in the community.
Didin has appreciated President SBYs actions, which has set an example for the Muslims in Indonesia.
"Hopefully, we will get the blessings of Allah," he noted.
In 2013, Baznas received Rp2.3 trillion worth of alms from the people as compared to last years about Rp2.1 trillion. The increase in income-based zakat averages 14 to 15 percent each year.
Moreover, the government has boosted charity through Presidential Instruction No. 3/2013 and has instructed all ministries and institutions to cooperate with Baznas.
He was optimistic that once the presidential instruction comes into effect in August 2014, the receipts of zakat fitrah will increase rapidly amounting Rp5 trillion each year. This year, Baznas has forecast that the earnings from income-based zakat will be around Rp3 trillion.
For the distribution of zakat, infaq, and sodaqoh, Didier remarked that Baznas has encouraged the improvement in society welfare through zakat community development.
Zakat is distributed to the most impoverished villages. At least 100 of the impoverished villages have received zakat. Meanwhile, the number of recipients reached 1.7 million people.
Didier believed that zakat is able to accelerate public welfare development.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
