MAIS, KWSP SIGN STRATEGIC COLLABORATION TO STRENGTHEN ASSET, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR MUSLIM COMMUNITY

SHAH ALAM, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) has formed a strategic partnership with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to strengthen understanding among Muslims in the state regarding syariah-compliant wealth and financial management.

MAIS chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said the council recorded RM2.7 million in non-syariah-compliant funds last year, reflecting that many Muslims in Selangor were still involved in non-syariah-compliant financial sources.

He said through this strategic collaboration, both parties would implement various joint initiatives related to syariah-compliant financial management, while also raising awareness among the Muslim community on strengthening the ummah’s economy and the importance of owning syariah-compliant assets.

“Through this collaboration, MAIS will offer Islamic estate management courses to EPF staff, particularly frontliners at EPF branches, through Akademi Baitulmal MAIS. We will also promote the EPF Syariah Savings Account and the importance of making nominations for EPF savings during Friday sermons at mosques across Selangor.

“We will also jointly promote Baitulmal MAIS products and services through programmes and courses organised by both MAIS and EPF, and hold briefings, workshops and discussions on MAIS’s eligibility to be appointed as a nominee for Muslim EPF members,” he said when speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MAIS and EPF, which was also attended by EPF chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.

Salehuddin said to further raise public awareness, MAIS was targeting RM3 million in non-syariah-compliant fund collections this year while encouraging Muslims to channel such funds to MAIS so they could be used for the benefit of the ummah.

He explained that non-syariah-compliant funds referred to money or assets derived from unlawful sources, such as interest-bearing transactions, non-syariah-compliant dividends, proceeds from stolen goods or robbery, bribes, lottery winnings, and conventional insurance coverage.

“I believe there are still many areas that need to be refined by society to ensure their wealth is syariah-compliant. I also urge those who still contribute to the EPF Conventional Savings Account to switch to the Syariah Savings Account so that the dividends received are halal and permissible for use,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Zuki said that of the more than 1.55 million Muslim EPF members in Selangor, only 542,844 or 34.81 per cent were registered under the Syariah Savings Account.

“This figure shows there is still ample room to increase participation, especially through strategic collaboration with MAIS, given that the majority of Muslims in Selangor are already involved in various social and economic programmes managed by MAIS,” he said.

Earlier, the agreement was signed by MAIS secretary Mohd Sabirin Mohd Sarbini and EPF chief operating officer Sazaliza Zainuddin, witnessed by Salehuddin and Mohd Zuki.

-- BERNAMA