by NURUL SUHAIDI / pic by BERNAMA
THE Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) is allocating RM15 million to create investment funds for asnaf families through Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB).
This is part of its strategic collaboration with Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) to help the community build an investment fund with a maturity period of five years.
With a total allocation of RM4,000 for each family, MAIWP will contribute RM3,000 while PNB will give RM1,000 into the investment funds.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad said this will benefit 1,000 asnaf families.
“Instead of giving one-off financial aid, we give assistance in the form of investment to empower them with the hope they can stand on their feet and be independent one day,” Idris said during the launch of MAIWP Strategic Plan 2021-2025 today.
Meanwhile, realising the importance of education for the Asnaf children, MAIWP also initiated a close partnership with National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) to support their education.
MAIWP will start distributing education funds for asnaf children who receive its MAIWP Monthly Financial Assistance, starting with one-year-olds this year.
The children will be receiving a one-off RM5,000 per person through Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional Prime.
MAIWP has allocated RM25 million for five years for this programme for 1,000 asnaf children.
Similarly, PTPTN is also channelling RM750,000 for the same period.
MAIWP chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar said when the recipient of this scheme reaches the age of 18, it is estimated the total fund will amount to RM20,000 which includes the total deposits, as well as the dividends.
“The amount will help to support their education,” he said.
The MAIWP Strategic Plan 2021-2025 focuses on six main pillars, encompassing poverty alleviation; optimising the source of zakat; property and human capital development; empowering education institutions under MAIWP; community engagement and the digital transformation.
To achieve the goal, MAIWP has put in place 26 strategies, as well as crafting 59 initiatives which will be the indicator to the success of the plan.
The plan also includes four important documents namely Asnaf Development Blueprint, Education Blueprint, Property Development Blueprint and Digitisation.
“These blueprints are a roadmap toward a holistic approach to ensure MAIWP is well ahead to face the crisis lingering in the asnaf community,” Idris added.
MAIWP also emphasises implementing digital transformation as a key strategy in empowering the asnaf and enterprising them.
“To uplift them economically, we welcome any organisations and corporates to offer entrepreneurship training for the asnaf,” Mohd Daud concluded.