Allegations that Umno is interfering in the affairs of the Terengganu Islamic Religous and Malay Customs Council’s (Maidam) and blocking zakat (tithe) aid to Terengganu students studying in Egypt are wild accusations and irresponsible, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said said today.  

Ahmad, who is also state Barisan Nasional and Umno chief, said Umno had never at any time interfered in Maidam’s affairs.

“Maidam does not come under the jurisdiction of the menteri besar. I have never intervened to decide who should or should not receive scholarships from the council. Maidam has its own committee to decide who deserve to get the scholarships,” he told reporters in Kuala Terengganu.

Earlier, he had witnessed the handing over of business zakat from Maybank Islamic totalling RM600,000 by Maybank Islamic’s chief executive officer (CEO) Muzaffar Hisham to Maidam CEO Wan Harujan Sulaiman.

Ahmad was commenting on a SMS received by Wan Harujan on Jan 26 which read: “Terengganu Umno is blocking zakat aid to Terengganu students in Egypt... think about it.”

Meanwhile, Wan Harujan said Maidam was an independent body and did not take any instructions from political parties.

- Bernama