Kuala lumpur: Upholding trust in managing assets is not merely a legal obligation, but also a religious duty encompassing the Maqasid Syariah, aimed at safeguarding the overall interests of the ummah. A Friday khutbah prepared by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) titled 'Wealth: A Test or a Provision?' emphasised that the strength of an institution does not lie in the size of its assets, but in the integrity, transparency and fairness of its management.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the khutbah highlighted that institutions entrusted with managing public funds such as Tabung Haji and Felda must be upheld with the highest level of transparency, as they involve the savings and hard-earned income of millions of depositors from various segments of society, including farmers, fishermen, wage earners, civil servants, entrepreneurs and homemakers.

As such, it is the responsibility of all parties to ensure that this trust is managed transparently, professionally and with integrity so that the rights of depositors are protected. 'We are grateful that corrective and recovery efforts can be implemented, enabling institutions of the ummah to be strengthened and to better fulfil the trust placed in them for the benefit of religion, race and nation,' the text said today.

The khutbah further explained that trust is not only required of individuals but also forms the foundation of managing institutions and the economy of the ummah, as every cent managed will be accounted for before Allah SWT. In addition, Islam prohibits all forms of corruption, breach of trust, abuse of power and misconduct that erode public confidence and undermine the well-being of the ummah.

'Likewise, it is the responsibility of the government to safeguard assets and funds entrusted by the people from all walks of life, including farmers, fishermen, wage earners, civil servants, homemakers and depositors,' it said. Therefore, all efforts to strengthen governance, restore the economic institutions of the ummah and protect public interests must be continuously supported to ensure trust is preserved and justice upheld.

The khutbah also touched on current threats from financial crimes such as online scams, mule accounts and money laundering, which require coordinated action through the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC) and enforcement agencies. 'Laws can punish offenders and enforcement agencies can combat crime, but only faith can prevent a person from committing a crime before it occurs,' it said.