Increase in tithe recipients in Melaka

MELAKA, July 25 (Bernama) -- A total of 10,060 people were approved as tithe recipients in Melaka during the first six months of this year, an increase of 20.1 per cent from 8,375 people during the corresponding period last year, the State Assembly was told today.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali attributed the increase in the number of recipients to a number of factors, including job loss due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), chronic health problems due to the COVID-19 infection and death of the household head due to COVID-19.

"The state government remains committed to help the people through various efforts to reduce their burden, especially the asnaf (tithe recipients) group, with the rising prices of goods and cost of living.

"Since last Jan 1, the Monthly Food Assistance received by the asnaf group with dependents of three people and above has been increased by RM50 to RM250 per person per month and this assistance involves a total allocation of RM796,000," he said in response to a question from Adly Zahari (PH-Bukit Katil) on the number of title recipients.

Sulaiman said the allocation for the Melaka Islamic Religious Council's (MAIM)  Ramadan and Syawal assistance for the asnaf this year had also been increased to RM7.05 million from RM5.33 million last year, and from RM1.32 million to RM3.03 ​​million for the Aidiladha Asnaf assistance.

Toanother question from Adly on tithe collection, Sulaiman said the total zakat collection in the first six months of this year was RM64.08 million, an increase of 22.59 percent compared to RM52.27 million during the corresponding period. last year.

"The number of zakat payers this year also increased to 720,028 people compared to 666,023 people last year, " he added.

-- BERNAMA