Kuala lumpur: Muslims participating in korban (sacrificial ritual) packages are advised to demand transparency regarding the actual management costs from the organisers to ensure the proper fulfilment of the ritual.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Bank Rakyat Group executive vice-president of Syariah Mohd Zamerey Abdul Razak emphasized the importance of this step to prevent participants from becoming victims, particularly concerning surplus funds that are not declared by management representatives. He highlighted that the korban ritual conducted overseas is based on a wakalah (representation) contract, as participants do not directly witness the physical animal, and any remaining balance from the cattle purchase legally belongs to the participants.
In overseas korban cases, participants appoint organisers to purchase the cows. Surplus funds remain the property of the participants, and organisers are obliged to seek permission on how they should be managed. The organisers must inform participants whether the surplus is to be refunded, used as additional service fees, or donated to the mosque. Silence on this matter is akin to taking other people's property without right, as Mohd Zamerey stated during a meeting at Maahad Imam Syafi'e Kampung Keh.
Mohd Zamerey further explained that the actual cost of livestock in foreign countries, such as Cambodia, usually varies depending on the size of the animal and the location of the chosen village. This situation could indirectly create a financial surplus compared to the fixed bulk package price offered to participants in Malaysia. Thus, he advised the public not to take the financial management of such packages lightly, even though they are religious programmes.
He noted that the generous attitude of society sometimes leads to deception. When religion is involved, many feel it is inappropriate to be calculative. Consequently, many participants may not realize that there is excess money from the original amount they paid, which might be taken without their knowledge and proper declaration. Mohd Zamerey stressed that participants have the right to ask organisers about the breakdown of costs prudently to ensure their contribution's status is completely clear.