Baznas Supports Finance Minister of Zakat Management Like Tax

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Chairman of National Amil Zakat Agency Bambang Sudibyo supports the statement of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati who wants the management of zakat done like tax.

"I will respond to the challenge of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani who wants the zakat to be managed like taxes, we support this desire," Bambang said in Baznas Award event in Jakarta yesterday.

Bambang agrees with the minister's statement because based on Law No. 23 of 2011 on Zakat Management mentioned that zakat is managed by the state as tax management.

Bambang agrees with the Finance Minister in his speech at the 2nd Annual Islamic Finance Conference (AIFC) in Yogyakarta, Wednesday (23/8/2017), which said the collection of zakat and distribution is currently mostly done informally through individuals, Family, or relatives.

Whereas in the law zakat funds must be managed by the state through official state institutions such as Baznas and Lembaga Amil Zakat (LAZ) which received a recommendation from Baznas.

"There are still many people who issue zakat not through official institutions that are not clear accountability," said Bambang told media crews.

According to him, the financial potential of zakat Indonesia as a country with the largest Muslim population is very large and can build Islamic economic power if managed properly.

Bambang explained in the Qur'an mentions the law of paying taxes is mandatory. But the provisions in the law are still optional or sunnah.

According to him, there needs to be a re-regulation of zakat management regulation in the zakat law which is also related to tax.

"In my opinion, the consequences of that should be given incentives for the obedient paying zakat incentives are tax incentives, that those who pay zakat well, zakatnya not reduce taxable income but reduce tax liabilities," he said.