SHAH ALAM, Nov 10 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) is taking a serious view of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) collecting zakat without authorisation, amid concerns that this could create opportunities for the misappropriation of Muslims’ funds.
Its chairman Dato' Salehuddin Saidin said they are also concerned about NGOs believed to be collecting zakat in Selangor before channelling the funds to other states.
The police are currently investigating the activities, while MAIS is examining gaps in the law and enforcement to curb unauthorised zakat collections.
“His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor has instructed MAIS to look into this matter and not allow irresponsible parties to take advantage.
“...There are loopholes in the law that could allow funds contributed by the Muslim community to be used for personal gain. We take this issue seriously,” he told the media on the sidelines of the 2026 Nusantara Baitulmal Convention at the Concorde Hotel today.
The event was earlier officiated by the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah, who represented the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj.
Salehuddin added that the convention also discussed the need to clarify the legal framework governing the collection and distribution of Baitulmal general funds.
Unlike zakat and waqf, which are governed by specific legal provisions, the regulation of general funds still required further scrutiny, particularly in relation to monitoring collections and the movement of funds.
“This raises questions about the authority of the relevant bodies to regulate public donations collected by NGOs without proper oversight.
“We also need to explore the use of technology, including artificial intelligence, to improve the collection and distribution of funds and identify eligible zakat recipients (asnaf),” he said.
