Response to Oral Question PL257

Reading Summary

📖 Reading time: 4 minutes
📊 Word count: 746 words

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG HAJI MOHAMAD DANIAL @ TEKPIN BIN YA’AKUB

QUESTION:

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG HAJI MOHAMAD DANIAL @ TEKPIN BIN YA’AKUB asked the MINISTER OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS to state whether the Ministry plans to implement an online method similar to the zakat collection system through direct payment and online that receives yearly interest? What efforts and plans are there to expand this method to the public?

YANG BERHORMAT MENTERI HAL EHWAL UGAMA

ANSWER:

The collection of Zakat Fitrah online is an initiative implemented by the Ministry of Religious Affairs as an effort to support the Digital Transformation Plan and is also aligned with the current technological advancements. Starting in 2021, the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) introduced online zakat fitrah collection through platforms like Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB), and apps from telecommunications companies Datastream Digital Sdn Bhd. (DST), Progresif Sdn Bhd., and subsequently Imagine Sdn. Bhd were added in following years as service providers for online fitrah payment for their customers to act as Amil of the Islamic Religious Council.

In the same vein, during its Fifth (V) Meeting of the Year 1445H/2024M on 10 June 2024, MUIB decided to approve the online Zakat Harta payment service for DST to be implemented under the conditions and regulations stipulated.

According to records, in 2024 a total of $328,866.63 in zakat fitrah was collected online. This amount shows a significant increase since its introduction in 2012 with an online collection of $247,432.57. Likewise, the online collection of zakat fitrah increased by 9.60% compared to the 2023 online collection total of $300,059.50.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs through the Department of Zakat, Waqaf, and Baitulmal (JUZWAB) plans to implement and have its own online zakat collection system, though its implementation is currently in the discussion and preliminary planning stage. The drafted and proposed basic plan includes the development of a JUZWAB Portal that will allow zakat payers (muzakki) to:

• Register and make zakat payments online through an e-payment gateway,
• Conduct digital zakat contract (akad zakat),
• Empower the 'Amil management system,
• Receive automated receipts and financial reports.

This plan will be developed in three phases:

Phase One – Online zakat and waqaf collection system (digital portal, e-payment, e-amil, automatic receipt),
Phase Two – Management and assessment system for zakat application and distribution to asnaf online, integrating it with the National Welfare System (SKN),
Phase Three – Development and empowerment program for asnaf through a digital system and monitoring of research, planning, and development of asnaf housing projects deemed eligible.

The main focus at this stage is to complete the technical and operational planning, hold further consultations with stakeholders, including strategic partner agencies, financial institutions, and technology providers, and plan a small-scale pilot phase before full implementation. The Ministry hopes that this digital method will facilitate the public and improve the transparency of zakat collection and distribution. This matter is being given serious attention to ensure its implementation will genuinely benefit and be safe for all parties involved.

Several initiatives have been and are being carried out by JUZWAB to enhance public understanding and awareness to pay zakat through these methods using the Ministry's website platform and JUZWAB’s social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram @juzwab operational since JUZWAB’s establishment. Social Media is one of JUZWAB's platforms to announce the results of zakat collection and distribution, services, work activities, and departmental milestones, in addition, other efforts like government print media platforms will continue to be intensified.

Meanwhile, the Online Payment Service for Cash Zakat through DST, appointed as amil, has agreed to further promote and market the cash zakat payment service through MyDST notification features, namely PushApps notifications to be carried out consistently and with a structured plan. Efforts to market zakat literacy regarding the obligation to pay zakat will be further enhanced and expanded with various other agencies.

For mutual information, with Allah's permission, the Campaign to Pay Zakat through advertisements and promotions is also being intensified by JUZWAB in collaboration with the Islamic Da’wah Centre through the Da’wah and Lecture Section, Public Relations Division, International and MABIMS KHEU (BPAAM); TV, Radio and Commerce Section, Radio Television Brunei (RTB) towards enhancing the strategic and structured campaign to promote the obligation to fulfill zakat in the short, medium, and long term using various media channels such as Media Broadcast, TV Ticker Messages, Infographics, RTBGo Podcast, Creative Short Videos and so on, as well as systems through da’ie-da’ie, speakers, and social media.