PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. BOGOR - Acting The Regent of Bogor, Asmawa Tosepu together with the Bogor Regency National Zakat Agency (Baznas) opened a zakat payment service through Baznas for ASN within Bogor Regency as well as Heads of Regional Apparatus, Directors of BUMD and Heads of Vertical Agencies of Bogor Regency in 2024 through the "Regional Head Zakat Example" activity. with a target of IDR 17 billion, which took place at the Tegar Beliman Building (1/4/2024).

The Bogor Regional Government continues to strive to optimize the management of professional zakat, infaq and alms in Bogor Regency in order to create community welfare. One of them is by continuing to encourage employees to fulfill their professional zakat, infaq and alms obligations through Baznas as regulated in Bogor Regent Regulation Number 49 of 2022 concerning Zakat Management.

Various poverty alleviation programs through the distribution of zakat impact alms funds for the period January to March 2024. The first is a humanitarian program amounting to IDR 633,000,000, then a health program amounting to IDR 155,000,000, the third an education program amounting to IDR 18,500,000, the fourth a da'wah advocacy program amounting to IDR 233,000 ,000 and aid for Palestinians amounting to IDR 3.3 billion.

Asmawa Tosepu explained that this zakat payment service is to encourage the ranks of the Bogor Regency Government, the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) within the Bogor Regional Government, sub-districts, sub-districts and villages to comprehensively provide zakat infaq and alms through the Bogor Regency Baznas, because zakat infaq and alms are an obligation for both the world and obligations in the afterlife.

According to him, currently zakat services are not only provided in cash but can also be provided non-cash via a digital-based application or QRIS, in order to provide ease of service as well as socialize government policies, one of which is digital-based transactions.

"We have also conveyed through a circular regarding zakat infaq, and alms including zakat fitrah in the month of Ramadhan through Baznas, especially for ASNs within the Bogor Regency Government through Perbup Number 49 of 2022. Thank God, there is also an increase in the target from the previous one in 2023 of IDR 15 billion, the realization "IDR 16.3 billion or an increase of four percent, the target for 2024 is IDR 17 billion," explained Asmawa Tosepu.

According to Asmawa Tosepu, it is important to channel distribution through Baznas because Baznas is not only a zakat collecting institution, it is also a distributor and distributer of citizens' or people's zakat to those in need.

"Today we can see how Baznas provides business capital assistance to people who feel they need help to improve their businesses," he stressed.

In the same place, Chairman of the Bogor Regency Baznas, KH Lesmana, said that the Bogor Regency Baznas, in synergy with the Bogor Regency Government, is committed to implementing reliable zakat management by strengthening four zakat ecosystems, namely, firstly, assets that truly belong to Allah SWT, secondly, assets that are actually obligatory for zakat, the three mustahik are the group entitled to receive zakat, and the fourth is the emir or person whose job is to be a facilitator in collecting, managing and distributing zakat.

"We continue to strive to improve services both to muzaki and mustahik. Thank God, zakat funds through five programs have been distributed well. "We would like to express our gratitude to the muzaki, especially ASN and BUMD employees within the Bogor Regency Government who have distributed their zakat inpak alms to the Bogor Regency Baznas," he explained. (Diskominfo Bogor Regency/Fauziah)