GEORGE TOWN: Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid has denied allegations of embezzling a RM100,000 zakat cheque involving a Penang government delegation visit to Egypt last year, led by then-governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak.
Mohamad said funding for the visit was drawn from the administrative fund under the Penang Islamic Religious Council's (MAINPP) 2025 budget, not from zakat collections.
He clarified that no zakat funds meant for distribution to asnaf, the poor or waqf funds were used to finance the trip.
He said MAINPP had never received any application from the delegation or related parties to obtain a zakat cheque as alleged.
"MAINPP has never received the cheque in question.
"Therefore, the allegations are denied," he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill and the 2027 Development Expenditure Estimates (State Budget 2027) at the state assembly on Thursday (Nov 5).
He was responding to an issue raised by Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (PN-Penaga) regarding claims of alleged irregularities involving a RM100,000 zakat cheque for the state delegation's Egypt trip.
Penang PAS previously alleged that RM100,000 in zakat funds was used to finance the visit, claiming that the money was deposited in an officer's personal bank account, and urged the authorities to investigate.
In a related development, Mohamad said the visit to Egypt yielded several significant achievements in strengthening Islamic education and improving the welfare of Penang students there.
"Among them was a credit transfer arrangement, known as Mu’adalah, between the Penang International Islamic Technology College (Kitab) and Al-Azhar University.
"The visit also saw the provision of a new hostel for Penang students in Egypt and the launch of the first Penang Digital Library (PIDL) at the Faculty of Shariah, Al-Azhar University," he said.
He said the delegation also met the top management of Al-Azhar University and visited Egypt's Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments).
He said the visit also included meetings with management of King Abdulaziz University and the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia to strengthen ties and cooperation in Islamic higher education.
Mohamad said the visit should be assessed on its objectives, achievements and long-term benefits to Islamic education and the welfare of Penang students overseas.
In March, Mohamad, MAINPP and Zakat MAINPP initiated legal proceedings against those allegedly spreading defamatory statements concerning the management of the institutions.
In the first phase of the action, four individuals were named and served with letters of demand.
They were Pembela Tanah Air activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard; Penang PAS information chief Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan; Penaga assemblyman Mohd Yusni Mat Piah; and PAS deputy youth chief Muhammad Hafiz Alias.
Mohamad, who is also MAINPP president, said the move was to protect the reputation and integrity of the state's Islamic religious institutions from being undermined for the political agenda of certain parties.
