COMMENT | Every ringgit given in the name of zakat is meant to be a lifeline for the poor, but when funds linked to welfare and charitable giving are alleged to have been diverted into luxury cars, property portfolios, and private accounts, a difficult question emerges: how safe are the systems that manage public trust?

The RM230 million investigation involving public donations collected for charitable purposes has drawn significant attention.

According to the authorities, the case involves an NGO and public welfare-related funds, not official zakat institutions.

Lembaga Zakat Selangor, for example, has clearly stated that it has no connection to the investigation. The institution operates under a structured legal framework, with multiple layers of internal and external auditing.

It has reiterated that zakat funds are managed in...