Jakim: Use zakat to help Rohingya refugees

Jakim director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha said although there were views that Malaysia’s poor should be given priority to receive zakat compared to the Rohingyas, it was not wrong to give the assistance on humanitarian grounds. — Reuters pic
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Arakan News Agency

The oppressed group, who are also Muslims, should receive the aid on humanitarian grounds, says its director-general.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) says the Rohingya refugees should be given assistance from the zakat (tithe) collection and other suitable forms of aid.

Its director-general, Othman Mustapha, said he would seek the cooperation of the Islamic Religious Council and Islamic Religious Department of each state to provide whatever aid possible, including zakat, to the refugees.

“On humanitarian grounds, we will definitely help the oppressed group (Rohingya refugees) who are also of the same faith,” he said at a news conference on the upcoming 57th International Quran Reciters’ Assembly and Quran Memorising event to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre, here.

He was responding to Pahang mufti Abdul Rahman Osman’s statement yesterday that the zakat collection could be used to help the refugees.

Abdul Rahman said the Rohingya refugees could be categorised as among the groups eligible to receive zakat, including the destitutes, the poor and Muslim converts.

– BERNAMA

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