SHAH ALAM, 9 Feb: The Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) announced receiving RM581,120,473 in 2014 with a distribution of RM595,114,121.

The Chairman of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS), Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa, said that LZS is targeting RM615 million in collection and distribution of Zakat this year.

He said that it is taking into account the factor of increasing awareness to contribute to the Zakat among the public.

“Various facilities have been provided by LZS in districts, the Poverty Tracking Squad (SJK) searches and the existence of the agency’s portal to facilitate the poor and needy to be identified,” he said during a press conference at the LZS office today.

He said that registration facilities in the district LZS offices are also the reason why the poor and needy can be identified more quickly.

A total of 13,613 poor families and 30,048 needy families were registered to receive assistance last year compared to 10,179 and 20,771 in 2013.

“LZS is continuing the search for poor and needy families through what is named the Poverty Tracking Squad (SJK) that was introduced in 2011.

“A total of 33 SJK series was implemented across Selangor last year where 830 families were found and registered as poor and needy recipients,” he said.

Last year, 221 recipients of the business capital Zakat assistance managed to leave the category of recipients while 1,240 Zakat receiving families also left the category by using the Haddul Kifayah poor and needy determination guideline.

NS