JOHOR BAHRU, February 28 - The Johor State Fatwa Committee meeting has set three zakat fitrah rates, namely RM7, RM12 and RM20 this year.
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Exco Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the setting was made based on the price of rice according to the grade and type consumed by most Muslims in Johor, which is at the rate of one Baghdad bushel, which equals to 2.6 kilograms.
He said the setting of the rice price and its usage percentage was obtained from the Paddy Regulatory Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry as well as wholesalers and retailers in the state.
Mohd Fared said the setting of the zakat fitrah price of RM7 is imposed on Muslims who make their daily consumption of rice from rice grades such as local super special and broken rice.
The RM12 rate is imposed on Muslims who make their daily consumption of rice other than local super special, namely imported rice such as white rice imported from Thailand, Pakistan and Vietnam.
"Meanwhile, the RM20 rate is imposed on Muslims who make rice their daily consumption in addition to local super specials, namely imported rice such as imported basmati rice and super fragrant rice and ponnies," he said at a press conference after launching the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Johor State Islamic Religious Council (MAINJ), here.
Meanwhile, Mohd Fared said that the Johor State Islamic Religious Council (MAINJ) projected a zakat fitrah collection for this year of RM9.32 million with an estimated 2.51 million zakat fitrah payers.
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Exco Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said that a total of 1,637 amils had been appointed to collect zakat fitrah, with Batu Pahat District recording the highest number, which was 308 Amils.
MAINJ also took the initiative to provide bilingual announcements to make it easier for non-citizens to pay zakat fitrah.
A total of 54,156 non-citizen zakat fitrah payers were recorded last year, involving a collection of RM674,630.
At the same event, MAINJ allocated RM18.477 million for Hari Raya assistance for this year, involving 90,439 people.