Melaka Records Higher Tithe Collection

MELAKA, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Melaka recorded an increase of 15.53 per cent to RM89.17 million in zakat collection between January and August this year, compared to RM77.18 million during the corresponding period last year.

State Education, Higher Education and Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said the collection for this year, comprised RM83.41 million in business tithe and RM5.76 million in fitrah tithe.

He said the collection of business tithe recorded an increase of 16.53 per cent to RM83.41 million, involving 46,050 payers, from RM71.58 million, involving 47,911 payers, that was collected during the corresponding period last year.

“Tithe from income recorded the highest collection of RM48.05 million with a total of 34,766 payers this year compared to RM42.20 million involving 32,285 payers last year,  while agricultural zakat recorded a collection of RM31,014.45 during the same period this year, a drop of  23.4 per cent compared to RM40,488.49 collected during the corresponding period last year," he told reporters here last night.

He was met at the 2022 Melaka Tithe Award presentation ceremony which was also attended by Melaka Tithe chief executive officer Datuk Ibrahim Fadzil.

Rahmad,  who is also the Deputy Chairman of Zakat Melaka,  said the tithe collection of zakat on savings for the same period this year recorded a decrease of 6.81 per cent to RM15.23 million, involving 6,988 payers, compared to RM16.35 million involving 11,063 payers during the corresponding period last year.

 During the same period this year, the Melaka Islamic Religious Council has distributed RM81.25 million in the tithe collection to the “asnaf”, he added.

 Meanwhile, he said tithe collection from salary deduction recorded an increase of 13.81 per cent to RM33.07 million during the same period this year compared to RM29.06 million in the corresponding period last year.

The number of taxpayers who paid tithe through salary deduction also increased to 33,021 people this year compared to 32,024 people last year.

At the event, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) received the Diamond Award for the highest tithe payment in the public sector and private sector, respectively.

-- BERNAMA