Last Updated on Thursday, 08 October 2009 18:14 Written by Waleed PD Mandini Thursday, 08 October 2009 05:48
Bandar Seri Begawan - "On The surface, I have seen that the remaining Zakat amount, which I have just mentioned earlier, if it were to be distributed to the Fakir Miskin (poor community), would it not be possible to eradicate poverty immediately?" was the question posed by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, during a meeting of the Islamic Religious Council on January 13 this year, which led the ball rolling towards the momentous event that took place yesterday morning.
His Majesty consented to distribute Zakat financial request documents to 4,084 heads of families of the poor. Among them were 190 people that were categorised under the al-Gharimin (debt-ridden).
Of the total figure, 2,313 were from the Brunei-Muara District, 573 from Tutong, 749 from Belait and 259 from the Temburong District. The recipients comprised applicants that had already been listed by the Islamic Religious Council as belonging to the poor community and were eligible for Zakat that had been approved until July 31, 2009. They will comprise monthly and Hari Raya Aidilfitri Zakat recipients.
One hundred and ninety recipients under the debt-ridden category have outstanding housing debts with the Department of Housing, Ministry of Development and the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation. This information was contained in a press release that was also issued during the event to provide further explanations on the fund distributions, as well as other issues.
The Zakat funds that will be distributed to them will amount to some $90 million.
The recipients of the monthly assistance, which comprises allowances for basic foodstuff necessities, daily spending money, their children's education and housing rent, will be receiving $20,000 for each head of family and a further $10,000 for each dependent. In addition, the recipients for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri Zakat funds will receive $3,000 for each head of family and $2,000 for each dependent.
Meanwhile, the 190 recipients of the al-Gharimin will be receiving funds to help them settle their housing debts, which have remained outstanding until January 31, 2009 amounting to $2,325,296.38 to the Housing Development Department, Ministry Development and the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation.
The funds for the poor community will be deposited into their respective bank accounts. They will only be permitted to withdraw each month not more than 1/12th, 1/36th, 1/48th or 1/60th depending on their respective category. This will duly ensure that they are taken out of the list for the recipients of the Islamic Religious Council Zakat funds for a period between 12 and 60 months.
This dispersal has been decided by the Brunei Islamic Religious Council in response to the enquiry made by the monarch during his meeting with the Islamic Religious Council on January 13.
This will therefore effectively remove the 4,084 families with immediate effect that have since been categorised as poor.
All the funds that have been distributed to the recipients are proceeds from the remaining amount from the Zakat funds, which have been managed by the Islamic Religious Council.
There will still be some funds remaining after yesterday's distributions have been made that will be further appropriated in due course to other eligible applicants who have not received their approvals after July 31, 2009. Their numbers, together with the amount that they will receive will be made known once the vetting process has been fully completed in accordance to the remaining Zakat funds available.
A further $67 million has also been allocated for other commitments that have been earmarked during the meeting of the Islamic Religious Council, which includes $35 million for housing projects for the poor community and the dha' if, and a further $3.6 million for the Fakir Miskin Sustainability Programme for a five-year timeframe.
The press release went on to explain that since 1969, the Zakat funds collected have not been fully distributed to the six categories of poor in the country. Most of the distributions have been channeled towards the poor community. Meanwhile, there are less distributions to the other categories, which include converts (Muallaf), tithe collectors (Anvil), people seeking educational grants to further their religious studies (Ibnu Sabil) and debt-ridden (al-Gharimin), as their numbers are considerably less than the poor community.
The proceeds for the poor community are on the whole usually distributed in full but whenever the funds are lacking, funds from the other categories that no longer exist are used supplement the funds for the poor community.
Until 1992, the remaining amount was deposited in the State Treasury. But starting from that year onwards, the remaining amount has been deposited in the Islamic Bank of Brunei, as well as in the Welfare Fund ofthe Islamic Bank of Brunei (TAIB). The investment in both these Islamic financial institutions have generated annual dividends, since 1993 until 2008, amounting to more than $98 million. This figure has also come to represent the remaining Zakat funds.
Some of the proceeds from this remaining Zakat funds have been allocated to the Zakat Distribution Scheme to the various categories that are eligible all year long.
The distributions made thus far, specifically to the poor community, have been in various forms of assistance namely: cash, daily foodstuff requirements, educational assistance for poor children, housing rent, home construction or home repairs, business start-ups, as well as other forms of assistance that include assistance for local and overseas medical treatment and higher educational assistance for eligible Zakat recipients, which include citizens and permanent residents.
All these types of assistance have ensured the continuity of life for the recipients, specifically the poor community. As a result of this, they have managed to supplement their daily lives or received more comfortable and compatible housing assistance.
The Islamic Religious Council will always continue to collect and gather Zakat funds, which have been donated by the Zakat-paying public and the private sector. Any new Zakat funds collected will be distributed to the poor categories, as prescribed by the distribution scheme, which will be considered from time to time.
The press release stated that yesterday's Zakat fund recipients will no longer be listed in the Zakat category by the Islamic Religious Council for a period of between one to five years. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
Source: http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/200910077941/Third-Stories/golden-handout-for-poor-community.html
Brunei Free From Poverty
Last Updated on Thursday, 08 October 2009 18:18 Written by Waleed PD Mandini Thursday, 08 October 2009 05:48
Historic Chapter Written In Gold, Says His Majesty
Bandar Seri Begawan - "Today, a historic chapter is being written tinted in gold for our country, as we now move towards freeing ourselves from poverty," said His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday.His Majesty delivered his titan during the ceremony to distribute documents of Zakat funds to the poor community (asnaf Fakir Miskin) and those who suffer from debt (al-Gharimin) at the International Contention Centre, Berakas.
"I see this ceremony not only magnificent in its aim, but also representing an important history that is very meaningful to us all and for the country," said the monarch, who earlier in the year had made a call to eradicate poverty in the Sultanate, which was dubbed the 'Vision 2035'.
"This is not just being done for the sake of doing so, but through a carefully thought out plan, which has been coupled further with hope and with our capability of doing so," the monarch added.
"Should what is to be carried out shortly truly fulfil the complete requirements for the poor community? Once I have duly distributed the Zakat financial documents to the recipients, the country, in that particular moment, can truly be labeled as free from poverty," His Majesty said.
"Praise be to Allah, let us all together now accept this as reality and no longer a dream. Allah the Almighty knows of our intentions, which are in line with His teachings, and will therefore fulfil our intentions, much more than our expectations."
But His Majesty, ever the caring monarch and benevolent ruler, underscored the possibility that there may still be among his subjects, those that have yet to be accounted for in the list of the poor.
"If there are still any individuals that have been left out, who consider themselves eligible, then their plight must be brought forward to the respective authorities for consideration. These respective authorities will determine whether they fit the criteria of Fakir Miskin or otherwise.
"It would be normal after this ceremony that there would still be grievances from the aforementioned individuals, and this would not be seen as a black mark to dampen this new history that we are achieving today."
However, the monarch also lay particular emphasis on "the respective authorities that are carrying out the collections and distribution of Zakat must take on a more in-tuned and proactive attitude in monitoring and evaluating the needs of the community that are considered to be eligible for Zakat".
His Majesty warned them that they should not just simply wait for the applicants to come forward, "as not all of them are capable of doing so, or that even some of them might possibly not be aware of how or who to go about it".
This, the monarch pointed out further "would no doubt add further emphasis to the roles and responsibilities of our community leaders, such as the appointed legislative members, Penghulus and village leaders".
But as the supreme head of religion in this Islamic state, the monarch also called for patience "to those that are still being processed and evaluated, whether they came forward to apply on their own or otherwise, must therefore fulfil and accept each assessment by the concerned authorities, because those assessments have been carried out based on the proper guidelines and measures".
To the more than 4,000 recipients of the Zakat financial documents, His Majesty had these simple words of advice: "We hope that you will utilise your respective shares wisely and purposefully, by avoiding an extravagant and wasteful lifestyle. Those shares are meant to help you provide for a better and more comfortable life. You are now no longer labeled as Fakir Miskin, at least for the specified time."
The monarch also urged them to use this golden opportunity to the fullest, not just for their own sake but also for the sake of their children and their children's children. "And it would also be conceivable that amongst their numbers there will be some of them that will no longer want to look back, but with new-found determined ambitions, as well as with wise planning, they can continue to prosper without requiring the support of Zakat.
"Let us all give thanks and prayers to Allah the Almighty that we and our country continue to receive His blessings, live in peace, safety and prosperity, full of faith and penitence for all time," His Majesty said before wrapping up his momentous titah that has paved the way forward for making his personal dreams and hopes of eradicating poverty for all present and future generations of Bruneians a tangible reality. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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