Baznas: Not a Single Rupiah of Zakat Funds Used for the Free Nutritious Meal Programme

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Indonesian National Zakat Agency (Baznas) has affirmed that Zakat, Infaq, and Sadaqah (ZIS) funds collected from donors and the public are not used to finance the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG).

The Head of Baznas RI’s Fundraising Division, Rizaludin Kurniawan, stated that the use of ZIS funds has clear regulations and cannot be diverted for purposes outside those stipulated in Islamic law.

“We affirm that the Zakat, Infaq, and Sadaqah entrusted to Baznas by the public is not used, not even a single percent, for the MBG programme. All of it is distributed for the benefit of the community in accordance with the provisions for the eight categories of recipients,” he said in a statement in Jakarta, Wednesday (25/2/2026).

Rizaludin emphasized that ZIS funds can only be used for the eight categories of recipients as stipulated in Islamic law, namely the poor, the needy, zakat collectors, new converts, slaves, those in debt, those on the path of God, and travellers in need.

He said that these provisions serve as the main guidelines in the management of zakat at Baznas, so that the entire process, from collection to distribution, must remain within the framework of Islamic law and not deviate from the applicable rules.

Rizaludin explained that in terms of institutional structure and funding sources, the MBG and the management of zakat are on different systems. The MBG is a government programme funded through the state budget, while ZIS funds come from public donations, the use of which is strictly regulated by Islamic law.