JAKARTA. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono paid Rp 20.7 million (US$1,799) in obligatory Islamic income-based alms this year. Yudhoyono also paid Rp 1 million for zakat fitrah, a type of alms that must be paid before the end of Ramadhan.
The alms were handed over at his office on Wednesday to the National Alms Agency (Baznaz), which will distribute the alms to the needy, according to kompas.com.
"I wish to hand over my income-based alms of one year, and my zakat fitrah for 14 lives. They will be distributed to those who need it," he said.
Individual Muslims are required to pay zakat mal, which amounts to 2.5 percent of their annual income. A Muslim family is also asked to pay zakat fitrah, equivalent to 3.5 kilograms of staple food.
Last year, Yudhoyono's income-based zakat was Rp 22.7 million and his family's zakat fitrah was Rp 1.3 million.
Baznaz chairman Didin Hafiddudin said the organization received Rp 2.3 trillion in 2013 and hoped that it could accumulate Rp 3 trillion this year.
"Currently there are 100 villages that receive the zakat funds," he said. (fss)
