Malaysia Plans To Set Up WZO To Help Underprivileged Muslim Population Worldwide

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is planning to set up a World Zakat (Tithe) Organisation (WZO) with the aim of helping the underprivileged Muslim population across the world. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom said it was hoped that the aid and assistance to be offered through the WZO would ease the burden of the Muslims. Eighteen countries had agreed to join the organisation so far, he said. "The Endowment, Tithe and Haj Department (JAWHAR) is in the midst of setting up the WZO and is in need of sponsorship from other Muslim countries. "We are also hoping that Islamic banks worldwide will also contribute to the WZO fund," he told reporters after opening the World Universities First Zakat Conference (WU1ZC) here Tuesday. He said the fund could also be used to help the people in conflict-stricken countries like Somalia, Palestine and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Jamil Khir also hoped that the three-day conference would produce an exemplary working paper that could be emulated and adopted by all quarters in ensuring that the distribution of tithe would reach the target recipients. He said the department was also in the midst of developing a data bank on the aid and assistance received by the target recipients. A total of 64 working papers from 16 institutions of higher learning in Indonesia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Algeria, Iran, Bangladesh, Belgium and Malaysia will be tabled at the conference, which will end on Thursday. -- BERNAMA Malaysia