PNB TO LAUNCH ZAKAT AL-MUSTAGHALLAT VIA KHULTAH METHOD IN MID-2026, EYES RM60 MLN IN COLLECTION

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) will launch zakat assessment for Fixed Price Funds managed by Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) through the al-Mustaghallat zakat method via Khultah (collective) in mid-2026.  

PNB deputy president and group chief executive Datuk Rick Ramli has targeted the participation of more than 30 per cent of Muslim unitholders in the first year of implementing the method, with an estimated zakat collection of RM60 million.

This follows the announcement by the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia on Sept 4, 2025, which approved the zakat al-Mustaghallat method via khultah. 

“In line with this, ASNB plans to introduce a mechanism that will allow unitholders to choose whether to receive full income distribution or net income after zakat.

“With this method, 2.57 per cent of dividends from ASNB’s Fixed Price Funds — namely Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB), ASB 2, ASB 3 Didik, Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM), ASM 2 Wawasan, and ASM 3 — will be deducted and channelled to the respective state zakat collection centres for distribution to eligible asnaf (recipients) according to the rulings of the zakat authorities,” he said in a media briefing here, today.

Rick said the advantage of this method is that zakat payment does not reduce investment capital, allowing income to continue to be generated from the invested funds.

“This concept is also more suitable for fixed trust investments, because returns from fixed-price unit trusts come only from dividends and income distribution, not from buying and selling the units,” he said.

He added that payment through Khultah is more efficient and systematic, as unitholders do not need to calculate and pay zakat individually.

“However, payment of zakat through this method is not mandatory, but we hope that as many unitholders as possible will participate,” he said.

He noted that the method has been approved by the Fatwa Committees of the Federal Territories, Pahang, Penang, Kelantan, and Kedah.

“Discussions with other states are ongoing. Insya-Allah, by the time this method is launched in the middle of next year, we will have the agreement from the remaining states,” he said.

For information, under the al-Mustaghallat method, zakat is calculated based on income derived from an asset, not on the asset itself.

Unitholders of ASNB Fixed Price Funds may receive net income distribution after zakat through the  Khultah or collective approach.

-- BERNAMA