The Penang government has clarified that the RM100,000 spent on a delegation’s visit to Egypt last year came from the Penang Islamic Religious Council’s (MAINPP) administrative budget, not zakat funds meant for the needy.

The clarification comes amid allegations that zakat funds were channelled towards the Egypt trip, including claims that the money was deposited into an officer’s personal bank account while the delegation was overseas.

Deputy Chief Minister I Mohamad Abdul Hamid said the visit, led by former Penang governor Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak last year, was financed through the council’s Administrative Fund under its 2025 budget, with not a sen taken from allocations meant for asnaf (eligible zakat recipients), the poor or tawaquf funds.

“No application was submitted to MAINPP’s Zakat Department for a zakat cheque as alleged, and the council had never received such a cheque,” Mohamad (above), who is also MAINPP president, told the Penang state assembly when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill and Development Estimates Motion 2027 today.

Beyond the funding controversy, Mohamad defended the trip on the strength of what he described as its educational and institutional dividends.

Among the key outcomes was a credit transfer cooperation arrangement (Mu’adalah) between Penang’s International Islamic College of Technology and Al-Azhar University, as well as a new hostel for Penang students pursuing their studies in Egypt.

The delegation also witnessed the official opening of the first Penang Islamic Digital Library at Al-Azhar University's Faculty of Syariah.

Mohamad said the programme included meetings with Al-Azhar University president Prof Dr Salamah Jumaah Dawood and a visit to Egypt’s Ministry of Awqaf.

The delegation then travelled to Saudi Arabia, where it held discussions with the top management of King Abdulaziz University and the Islamic University of Madinah to strengthen cooperation in Islamic higher education.

Mohamad said the trip should be judged by its objectives, achievements, and long-term contributions to Islamic education and the welfare of Penang students studying in Egypt.

Penang to introduce dedicated wakaf law

Meanwhile, Mohamad said the state government plans to table a dedicated Penang Wakaf Enactment at next year’s state assembly sitting to establish a comprehensive legal framework governing waqf.

He said Penang lacks a specific enactment to regulate the administration, management, development, and advancement of waqf properties.

Instead, provisions governing waqf, nazr, and trusts are all in Sections 89 to 95 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Penang) Enactment 2004.

While these provisions provide MAINPP with the legal basis to discharge its responsibilities, Mohamad said they were too general to address the increasingly diverse and complex demands of waqf management.

“The provisions relating to waqf, nazr and trusts are currently contained in Sections 89 to 95 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Penang) Enactment 2004.

“Although the existing provisions provide a legal basis for MAINPP to discharge its responsibilities relating to waqf, nazr, and trusts, they are general in nature and do not elaborate in detail on the various aspects of waqf management, which have become increasingly diverse and complex,” he said.