KUALA LUMPUR – Budget 2021 includes a RM1.4 billion allocation for Islamic affairs under the Prime Minister’s Department, said Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Tabling the Budget today, he said a national wakaf master plan will be drawn up to ensure an efficient wakaf, or endowment, management, so as to maximise the mobilisation of future assets.
Yayasan Wakaf Malaysia will work with government agencies, government-linked companies and government-linked investment companies on this, he said.
Meanwhile, Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), through Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), will introduce wakaf services for ASNB unit trust holders.
Under this service, holders can endow some of their units to the ASNB wakaf fund and be eligible for an income tax deduction.
Returns from the fund will be channelled to wakaf projects of national interest to be identified by PNB.
At the grassroots level, the government has agreed to increase the allowance of takmir teachers from RM800 to RM900 per month. There are about 4,000 such teachers working at the community level.
There will also be a one-off payment of RM500 to imam, bilal and Kafa teachers, among others.
Almost 70,000 people are expected to benefit from the aid. – The Vibes, November 6, 2020
