Alms must be managed professionally: Habibie

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)