Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) is prioritizing the distribution of zakat in Bali in the form of staple goods, specifically rice, to poor people.
"Zakat al-Fitr can come in the form of money, but we are prioritizing those in the form of staple foods, that is rice," Bali Baznas head, H. Yunus Naim, said in Denpasar, Bali, on Friday.
The minimum amount of rice being given in alms is 2.5 kilograms, which is equivalent to Rp40 thousand (US$2.67) per person, he added.
Currently, his administration is informing others of its focus regarding zakat. It will collect rice until Eid al-Fitr.
Naim appealed to Muslims to give their alms to official agencies such as Baznas, or through zakat institutions such as DSM, Dompet Dhuafa, and others.
They can also give the alms to the zakat collector unit in their mosques, he added.
Should they choose to give alms in the form of money, they can transfer it to the agency's BSI bank account (number: 7012233197), he added.
As for bags of rice, people can send them to Baznas Bali's office on North Jayagiri Street Number 5, East Denpasar, Naim added.
The agency said that it is expecting to collect up to Rp5 billion (US$334 thousand) in zakat in Bali; it is targeting that amount since Bali's economic situation has been revived following an improvement in the overall COVID-19 situation as well as an increase in tourism in that region.
Deputy head of Bali Baznas, Ujang Eddy Alminangkabawi, said that as of February 2023, the agency has collected Rp1.5 billion (US$100 thousand) in zakat.
Although it is nowhere near the target, the figure is an improvement compared to the same period in 2021, when it was recorded at Rp800 million (US$53 thousand), he noted.
Alminangkabawi said that the zakat is being channeled to some social aid programs, including education for underprivileged kids, house renovations, and assistance for the poor, among others.
Related news: President, officials channel zakat through Baznas
Related news: Decline in poverty rate indicates zakat success: Ministry
Related news: THR disbursal D-10 of Eid for apparatuses, pensioners: Minister
