KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today has given the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) a month to prepare a report of its plans, to further improve the council's performance.
Anwar said he wanted MAIWP to be an example to other states in matters of zakat collection and coordination of aid to the needy.
"We want to ensure the zakat management is always at its best and well-managed.
"As such, I'm giving MAIWP a month to prepare a report of its last year's achievement and plans to further improve the council's performance and rectify existing weaknesses, so that it can be an example for other states.
"While we can be satisfied with what we have achieved so far, as Muslims, we must always strive to find the best way. 'Itqan Fil Amal'; striving for excellence," he said in his speech at the MAIWP Carnival 2024 at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa here.
Present were the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar and Setiawangsa member of parliament Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who is also Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability minister, and MAIWP chairman Syed Kamarulzaman Syed Kabeer.
Taking the example of the leadership of Khalifah Umar Abdul Aziz, Anwar said within a few years of his reign, the problem of the poor was successfully solved due to good management and governance.
In his speech, Anwar also reminded MAIWP that it should not just continue with all the existing programmes to help those in need, but also to ensure that every single cent collected was channelled back to the people and not for personal use.
"I am firm with this because I want MAIWP to become the pride of good governance."
He also called for MAIWP to better coordinate the distribution of zakat with other agencies to ensure that the funds reached those who were truly in need.
This, he said, was to prevent a family from getting assistance several times, while another family that was also in need did not receive any.
"I hope this will be managed properly."