Lecturer Walks Away With Umrah Package In Maidam’s Zakat Campaign

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 24 (Bernama) -- A simple commitment to monthly zakat deductions turned into a dream come true for a lecturer, who took home the grand prize – an Umrah package – in the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council’s (MAIDAM) Jom Potong & Menang Potongan Zakat Berjadual Campaign.

Prof Dr Mohd Nordin Abdul Rahman from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), said he was both surprised and grateful when he received a call from the organisers informing him that he had won the grand prize.

Speaking to reporters at the MAIDAM’s Jom Potong & Menang Potongan Zakat Berjadual Campaign Prize Presentation Ceremony here today, the Faculty of Informatics and Computing lecturer said he initially thought the call was from a scammer trying to deceive him.

Upon further checking, Mohd Nordin found that he had indeed been randomly selected among scheduled zakat payers as the winner of MAIDAM’s lucky draw grand prize.

“There are a lot of scammers nowadays…I didn’t believe it at first. Just to be sure, I called the organisers and they told me to watch the live broadcast on their official Facebook page.

“I didn’t actually know much about the campaign…I had just made an additional zakat payment recently. Alhamdulillah, I didn’t expect to win such a valuable prize,” he said.

Another winner, Muhammad Johary Yusof, 38, who took home a Modenas Kriss motorcycle, said he began making scheduled zakat payments 20 years ago.

The oil exploration company employee said he thought the call was from a scammer at first but was grateful to learn he had actually won the prize.

“Alhamdulillah, I won a motorcycle. I can now ride to the surau with my wife,” he said.

Meanwhile, MAIDAM chief executive officer Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Azrin Adnan said the campaign, held from 1 October 2024 to 30 April this year, was aimed at encouraging more individuals to make scheduled zakat payments.

He said the scheduled zakat payment method not only made it more convenient for contributors but also enabled a more systematic and efficient distribution to the asnaf (eligible tithe recipients).

“In 2024, a total of 24,493 zakat payers fulfilled their obligations through this method (scheduled deductions). We hope this campaign will encourage more Muslims to do the same so that the asnaf can continue receiving the assistance they need.

“This marks the fourth edition of MAIDAM’s Jom Potong & Menang Potongan Zakat Berjadual Campaign, and we plan to hold it again from May to December next year,” he said, adding that 23 winners took home lucky draw prizes totalling RM34,000.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Azrin said MAIDAM had set a zakat collection target of over RM300 million this year, an increase from RM276 million collected last year.

--BERNAMA