Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government, in collaboration with alms and philanthropic bodies, has raised and distributed two million packages of zakat alfitr—a mandatory charity given by Muslims before Eid alFitr—worth nearly Rp442 billion (US$26 million).
Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar highlighted the initiative while speaking at a Ramadan event in Jakarta on Thursday (March 12).
"This activity is a manifestation of collaboration between the government, alms agencies, and philanthropic organizations to ensure that social assistance reaches more people in need," he said.
He explained that the zakat initiative is central to the Tebar Harapan Ramadhan (THR/Spreading Hope in Ramadan) program, which seeks to strengthen national collaboration in alleviating poverty through the optimization of zakat and other philanthropic funds.
Under the program, he added, the government is working closely with 184 zakat institutions and 234 philanthropic organizations registered with the Indonesia Berdaya (Empowered Indonesia) platform.
Iskandar emphasized that crosssector synergy is essential to strengthening strategic coordination and making zakat distribution more integrated and impactful for the public.
He noted that zakat alfitr distribution under the THR program was focused on recipients in 168 districts and cities across eight provinces with high rates of extreme poverty: East Java, Central Java, West Java, North Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sumatra, Lampung, and Banten.
Additionally, distribution was expected to ease the burden of disaster victims in Aceh and West Sumatra provinces.
The minister expressed hope that the program would go beyond ceremonial and religious purposes, serving as a concrete step toward strengthening social solidarity and empowering communities.
"Through this collaboration, we aim to ensure that zakat serves more than temporary aid and becomes an instrument for us all to uplift and empower communities," he said.
