Criminal Sanctions for Illegal Zakat Managers

GRESIK - National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) reminded again abaout mandate of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No.3/2014 on the optimization of zakat collection in ministries, state institutions and state-owned enterprises.

Law No. 23/2011 states that the authorities to manage zakat, infaq, alms and other religious social funds are Baznas and Institute of Amil Zakat (LAZ) from central or national, provincial and district levels.

"There is a criminal sanction for illegal zakat management," Chairman of Baznas, Bambang Soedibyo stressed in the inauguration board of Zakat Management Unit (UPZ) of PT Semen Indonesia in Gresik, East Java on Friday (13/10).

This, continued Bambang, expressly stated in Article 41 of Law No.23/2011 on the Management of Zakat. For next, Baznas also preparing certification for amil.

''It is to improve the quality of human resources in order to achieve the mission of Baznas to be the best zakat manager in the world,'' said Bambang.

On this occasion, symbolically Baznas receives zakat, infak, and alms (ZIS) funds from UPZ PT Semen Indonesia for Rp1.27 billion.

''Alhamdulillah, PT Semen Indonesia is an example for other SOEs in managing zakat,'' said Bambang.