KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) is committed to helping the asnaf fakir (hardcore poor) and asnaf miskin (poor) to come out of the poverty cycle.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof said the MAIWP has set a yearly key performance indicator to meet the objective beginning this year.
“MAIWP is looking at pulling out asnaf fakir and miskin out of poverty at the rate between two to four per cent.
“It will be done through high impact assistance, which stresses on their economic development,” he told reporters after Federal Territory Kembara Rahmah Zakat by MAIWP in Lembah Pantai.
The event was graced by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Present were Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, MAIWP chairman Datuk Seri Syed Hussien Al Habshee and Lembah Pantai member of parliament Fahmi Fadzil.
Mujahid said MAIWP was collaborating with SME Corp via ‘Tunas Usahawan Baitulmal’, also known as the ‘asnafpreneur’ programme in which participants would be given exposure on businesses, entrepreneurship, marketing, and the digital economy.
He said 100 asnaf had been selected for the programme to be held from Nov 3 to 23.
Mujahid said last year MAIWP had produced 10 entrepreneurs, who currently earn between RM8,000 to RM24,000 monthly.
At the event, Sultan Abdullah also handed out tithe to asnaf community in the area.
Among the aid handed out included school aid to asnaf children totalling RM5.1 million, school aid (RM9.82 million) and higher learning aid (RM12.45million), along with daily necessities to 500 asnaf.
Earlier, Mujahid flagged off a convoy of 100-high powered motorcycles and 20 taxis, which were the recipients of MAIWP’s taxi hire-purchase deposit aid at Taman Metropolitan Batu in Kepong.
The convoy then made their way to Masjid Al-Mukhlisin in Jalan Damai Bakti, Bandar Tun Razak, before ending their journey at the Pantai Eco Park Community Centre.
Federal Territory Kembara Rahmah Zakat is one of the initiatives by MAIWP to increase awareness of its efforts in implementing development agenda through tithe distribution.