Why did Yayasan Taqwa receive RM4 million from the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Council (MAIWP) Baitulmal last year when it had only sought RM1 million?

NONE PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan (right) has demanded answers from Jamil Khir Baharom, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who is in charge of Islamic affairs.

"Yayasan Taqwa applied for RM1 million from MAIWP and was granted RM4 million. Why is this? How can the same person apply for and approve the money?" Nasrudin posed at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

He pointed out that Jamil is charge of both bodies.

Federal Territories PAS Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad, who is also the party’s Youth Zakat Task Force director, said Yayasan Taqwa's role is essentially similar to that of MAIWP.

"Yayasan Taqwa's job is to distribute zakat (tithes), but MAIWP is already doing that. So why do you need a middle man?" he asked.

Last Wednesday, PAS Youth had asked Jamil to justify Yayasan Taqwa's expenditure of RM2 million.

The foundation had defended the spending , saying that the amount encompassed its administrative costs, programmes, staff pay and utility bills.

 

Nasrudin today appeared dissatisfied with the explanation, calling on Khir to reveal details of how the money was spent.

"We also want Yayasan's Taqwa's audit report to be made public so there is no suspicion," he added.

Late last year, Jamil Khir had denied misusing zakat funds to pay his legal fees in a court case involving the Sodomy II complaint.