Kota bharu: The Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK) recorded its highest zakat collection in history in 2025, amounting to RM354.6 million, up 19 per cent from RM296.8 million in 2024.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MAIK president Tengku Tan Sri Datuk Mohamad Rizam Tengku Abdul Aziz stated that the largest contribution came from income zakat at RM229.2 million, an increase of 24 per cent or RM43.8 million from RM185.3 million in the previous year.

He detailed that this was followed by business zakat totalling RM62.1 million, savings zakat RM25.4 million, asset zakat RM14.5 million, and other zakat categories amounting to RM23.2 million. These included zakat fitrah, gold and silver zakat, share zakat, livestock zakat, qadha zakat, as well as agricultural and padi zakat.

He further explained that Malaysia's economic performance, with growth of about 5.5 per cent in 2025, had a direct impact on the increase in zakat collection in Kelantan. He noted that rising incomes had indirectly increased both the number of zakat payers and the total amount collected, with 27,944 new contributors recorded by MAIK for the first time. Of that number, 17,643 were youths aged between 20 and 39.

Mohamad Rizam emphasized that the record collection was also driven by a combination of economic strength, sound management, good governance, effective promotional programmes, and growing religious awareness among the people.

In addition, he mentioned that MAIK distributed RM337.3 million in zakat in 2025, compared with RM269.5 million in 2024, representing a 25 per cent increase. The distribution comprised RM162.3 million for fisabilillah recipients, RM117.4 million for the poor and hardcore poor, RM50.1 million for amil, al-gharimin, al-riqab, and ibnu sabil, while RM7.6 million was allocated for mualaf.