Jakim's Covid-19 fund available for all in need, says minister

De facto religious affairs minister Zulkifli Mohamad said today the Musa’adah Covid-19 fund is available to assist anyone in need who were affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Zulkifli (above) said this includes non-Muslims, Orang Asli, fisherfolk, and "certain schools facing difficulties", so long as they are eligible.

"We have spent almost RM200 million from the fund. What we’re supposed to give, we give.

"To me in issues such as about this aid distribution, most important is that we want it to reach the target [...] regardless of who (is the target)," he told reporters at the Al-Khasyi'in Mosque in Kuala Lumpur today.

Zulkifli said this when asked for comments on RM100,000 aid from the fund, handed over by his deputy, Ahmad Marzuk Shaary - Pengkalan Chepa MP from PAS - to a PAS-owned kindergarten yesterday.

Media reports said a photograph from the mock cheque presentation ceremony was uploaded on the Islamic Development Department (Jakim)'s official Facebook page, although Malaysiakini's check this morning did not find the post.

Also reportedly present during the ceremony was Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) chairperson Nik Omar Nik Abdul Aziz.

The Musa'adah Covid-19 fund was launched by Jakim on March 24 as an initiative to assist those directly or indirectly affected by the outbreak.

Asked whether other pre-schools had received or are eligible to apply for assistance from the fund, Zulkifli said every application will be deliberated based on "rationality".

"We will see based on a reasonable allocation.

"InsyaAllah there is no problem if they meet the conditions, and we still have it (allocations), we will see case by case," he said. - Mkini