Public Servants' Waqf Participation Via Salary Deductions Needs To Be Expanded – Zulkifli

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- The participation of public servants in waqf (Islamic endowment) through salary deductions needs to be expanded, as only about one per cent of federal public servants currently contribute through the facility, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

"This potential can open up opportunities for the development of large-scale and high-impact waqf projects for the benefit of society," he said in a statement after officiating the Receiving and Handing Over of the Malaysia Cash Waqf Fund here today.

Meanwhile, Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia (YWM) said as of Dec 31 last year, the accumulated collection through its salary deduction facility had reached RM21.29 million, involving 10,963 contributors since the code was approved by the Accountant General's Department on Jan 5, 2009.

YWM said RM1.15 million was collected through the facility in collaboration with eight State Islamic Religious Councils (MAIN), namely Terengganu, Sabah, Johor, Kedah, the Federal Territories, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Perlis.

"The cooperation was also expanded when Wakaf Pulau Pinang agreed to use YWM's salary deduction code to encourage more federal public servants in the state to contribute to waqf consistently," it said.

YWM also said a total of RM1,152,941.35 from the Malaysia Cash Waqf Fund was distributed to the eight MAIN in 2025.

Of that total, the Sabah Islamic Religious Council received RM569,718.30, followed by the Johor State Islamic Religious Council (RM225,639.25), the Kedah State Islamic Religious Council (RM116,269.55) and the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (RM84,583.25).

The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council received RM78,997.25, the Melaka Islamic Religious Council (RM38,711.55), the Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (RM20,832.55) and the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (RM18,189.65).

-- BERNAMA