LZS HITS RECORD RM1.22 BLN COLLECTION IN 2024

SHAH ALAM, April 23 (Bernama) -- Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LZS) has recorded its highest zakat (tithe) collection to date, reaching RM1.22 billion in 2024, as the agency ramps up support for low-income households and vulnerable communities in the state.

Its chief executive officer Mohd Khaidzir Shahari said RM1.19 billion of the total was distributed to more than 370,000 asnaf, or eligible recipients, marking a three per cent increase from RM1.15 billion in aid disbursed the previous year.

“The largest share of the aid, RM707 million or 60 per cent, was allocated to the fakir (extremely poor) and miskin (poor) categories, underscoring the agency’s continued commitment to supporting the most vulnerable groups in Selangor,” he said.

He added that this amount in aid reached more than 77,800 needy families, a 19 per cent increase from 2023.

Mohd Khaidzir shared the figures at a press conference on the state’s zakat collection and distribution performance held at Menara Zakat Sultan Idris Shah, alongside LZS chairman Tan Sri Syed Anwar Jamalullail.

The record-breaking figure reflects growing public confidence in the agency and a greater shift toward consistent zakat contributions through formal channels.

He noted that zakat on income remained the most significant contributor by category, generating RM712 million or 58 per cent of total collections. This was followed by business zakat (RM199 million), savings zakat (RM130 million), zakat on wealth (RM70 million) and fitrah zakat (RM41 million).

Salary deductions continued to be the most widely used payment method, bringing in RM546 million or 45 per cent of total funds, he said.

Direct debit showed the fastest growth, increasing by 60 per cent to RM1.4 million, indicating a rising preference for automated, user-friendly payment systems, he added.

He explained that LZS has also disbursed RM780 million for social development programmes, including monthly financial assistance, rental subsidies, housing construction and repairs, as well as critical medical support such as dialysis treatment.

Recognising the long-term impact of education, the agency also channelled RM194 million into its education development programmes, a 13 per cent rise from 2023, Mohd Khaidzir said.

The funding supported a growing number of second-generation asnaf students entering higher education and undergoing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes, he added.

Looking ahead, he said LZS has set a zakat collection target of RM1.328 billion for 2025 and aims to reach RM2 billion by 2030.

During the same event, LZS launched the second edition of its 2024 Sustainability Report, themed Empowering Lives. The report follows the Global Reporting Initiative framework and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030.

Mohd Khaidzir said the report reflects LZS’s ongoing commitment to embedding sustainability values across its operations, including initiatives in renewable energy usage, sustainable procurement, food security and long-term income generation for the asnaf community.

-- BERNAMA