Idul Fitri alms set at Rp 7,000

JAKARTA (JP): The city Muslim Charity Collection Board (Bazis) has set the standard for post-fasting Idul Fitri alms at Rp 7,000 (90 US cents) per person, an official said on Friday.

"The amount is equivalent to the average price of the two and a half kilograms of rice consumed by city residents per day," the chairman of the Bazis Jakarta chapter, Abdul Shomad Muin, said at City Hall.

"All Muslims are obliged to contribute an amount equal to their daily consumption to needy people prior to the Idul Fitri holiday," he said.

He said the collected alms would be used to help less fortunate Muslims in the city.

Abdul also said the board had set a target of collecting Rp 8 billion in donations by the end of March next year.

"We have collected some Rp 3.3 billion as of now," he said.

He said the collection board budgeted some Rp 1.2 billion to finance the construction of mosques throughout the city.

"The board has also given donations to 18,000 students and scholarships to 1,700 university students and 50 postgraduate students," he said.

Abdul said 18 prominent businessmen and companies had made donations to the collection board totaling Rp 273 million.

"The donors include Sudwikatmono, The Ning King, Sukamdani Sahid Gitosarjono, PT Modern Photo and PT Astra International," he said.

"There are also 50 city officials who contributed a total of Rp 94 million," Abdul added. (05)