Alms must be managed professionally: Habibie

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie on Thursday called for more transparent and professional management of zakat (obligatory alms for Muslims) as well as infaq and shodaqoh (voluntary alms) in a bid to better fulfill their purpose of helping the needy.

The President said Muslims should be encouraged to meet their obligation given how any small amount of money represents significant assistance for the poor, especially since they were the most affected by the ongoing economic crisis.

Donors also have the right to know how the funds are distributed to the people, he noted.

"We are living in the era of transparency, where everybody demands accountable and open management of all matters of public interest," Habibie said when opening the three-day workshop of alms managing institutions (BAZIS).

The President praised the employees of private companies and state-owned firms who voluntarily fulfill their obligations and give alms through their employers.

The funds collected from alms donations also play the role of a social safety net to help people who are suffering most from the severe economic trouble, he said.

"This is very beneficial in empowering ordinary people, so they can be freed from poverty and backwardness," Habibie remarked.

In his report to the President, Minister of Religious Affairs Malik Fadjar said the management of alms lacks a legal base, although Muslims had traditionally practiced the charity from an early point in their religion's history.

"The legal foundation for alms management as set by the government, in this case the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Religious Affairs, is only in the form of a joint- decree issued by the two ministers in 1991," the minister pointed out.

Parni Hadi, the advisor to the workshop, said the meeting would discuss the legal aspects of the collection of such funds and the standardization of their management.

Many Muslims have not carried out their obligations because they do not know how to channel the money or because they are not sure whether it will be properly used, Parni said.

"From our observation, many of our brothers... have yet to observe their obligations of paying zakat in line with the command of Islam," said Parni, who is also the general manager of the Antara news agency. (prb)