Hoax! 30 Percent of Hajj and Zakat Funds Diverted to MBG

Jakarta (ANTARA/JACX) – A post on Facebook claims that 30 percent of Hajj and Zakat funds will be diverted to support the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. The post shows the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), KH Anwar Iskandar, and the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, as if they were explaining the policy to divert funds to keep MBG running. The narrative reads: ‘Majelis ulama menjelaskan “30% Dana haji dan ZAKAT akan di alihkan ke MBG ,guna terus membangun program agara tetap berjalan ;”’ The explanation: Based on checks, no official statements from the MUI chair or the relevant ministries/agencies about a plan to divert Hajj and Zakat funds to MBG were found. The National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) previously clarified that zakat, infaq, and sadaqah (ZIS) collected from the public are not used to fund MBG programs. ‘We emphasise that the zakat, infaq, and sadaqah entrusted by the public to Baznas are not used for the MBG program even one rupiah. All of it is channelled for the welfare of the Ummah in accordance with the eight asnaf categories,’ said Rizaludin Kurniawan, Head of the Baznas RI Collection Division, reported by ANTARA. All ZIS funds are disbursed according to the eight recipient categories (asnaf). The photo of the MUI Chairman in the post is known to be identical to documentation from an official MUI event at the inauguration and introduction of the MUI 2025–2030 leadership at Masjid Istiqlal, Jakarta, which did not contain statements about diverting funds. Therefore, the narrative that 30 percent of Hajj and Zakat funds are diverted to MBG is a hoax. Claim: 30 percent of Hajj and Zakat funds diverted to MBG Rating: Hoax Fact-check: Hoax! Kemenag says maximise zakat and waqf to support MBG Fact-check: Hoax! MBG budget transferred to parents’ accounts at Rp300 thousand per month