Zakat Management in Brunei Praised for Using Centralized System

Jakarta, 17 Jumadil Akhir 1438/16 March 2017 (MINA) – Unlike in Indonesia, which has the Directorate General of Taxation and the National Alms Agency (Baznas), in Brunei its government empowered the Religious Council of Brunei to collect and distribute zakat funds.

“There are agencies administering the tax, but it’s just corporate taxes, while for personal tax management is combined with charity,” DR. Hj Rose Abdullah, one member of the Bruneian delegation participating in the World Conference on Zakat Forum (ZWF) told Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA), here Thursday (17/3).

Rose who is also Director of the Center for Research and Publications at the University of Sultan Sharif Ali Brunei revealed the number of taxpayers and those giving alms in the country increased from year to year, while recipients remain stable

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“From 2010 to 2016, those paying zakat maal (wealth) have increased from the range of 2,000 to 4,000 people,” he added.

Thus, the funds collected in 2016 alone reached 17.5 million Brunei dollars, or about 16.55 billion rupiahs. As for zakat fitrah or tithes or zakat paid before Idul Fitri from 332 660 Muslims managed to collect 938 thousand dollars Brunei or 8.87 billion rupiahs last year.

She added that there are 14,296 zakat beneficiaries (mustahik) in the country in 2016. Of this figure, there are six types of categories that receive zakat. They include the indigent, the poor, amyl, gharimin (the debtors), Ibn sabiil (traveler), converts. As for those who strive in the way of Allah (Fi sabilillah) and slaves or servants do not get these funds.

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Mustahik are given zakat funds in the form of insurance, educational, social, housing, and others.

In contrast to the management of Zakat in Brunei, in the which infaq, alms and endowments are managed directly by the state, citizens in Indonesia are allowed to manage zakat funds under the Law No. 38 of 1999 of the charity by establishing Amil Zakat (LAZ). With the existence of the Law, Institute of Amil Zakat Institutes (LAZ) are popping up, whether it is established by the general public or by the company.

The potential of ZIS outside Waqf in Indonesia amounted to 19.3 trillion rupiahs. A study on the same topic organized by PIRAC found that the potential of the ZISWAF fund reached 20 trillion rupiahs. This figure represents an incredible potential of th funds that can be optimized by and from the Muslims of Indonesia..(L/R04/RS5)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)