BANGI, 31 Jan 2013 – Findings by a group of researchers from The National University of Malaysia (UKM) on funds kept by 73 mosques in the country showed they have savings totaling RM4.3 million in banks and financial institutions but were not managed well. Thus earnings from the funds were minimal.
The study “Funds and Assets of Mosques in Malaysia: Towards a Strategic Management” was carried out by Professor Dr Jaafar Ahmad, Associate Prof Dr Sanep Ahmad, Mariani Abdul Majid and Hairunnizam Wahid from the Faculty of Economics and Management.
The team found more than 57% of the 73 mosques received about RM50,000 per year in contributions, 21% between RM50,000 to RM100,000 and the remaining 22% more than RM100,000. About 50% of the contributions were collected during Friday prayers.
Most of the money collected were spent on salaries and allowances for staffs, repairs and maintenance of mosques and organizing monthly congregations and courses.
Dr Sanep told UKM News Portal that there are mosques getting collections totaling RM348,114 but spent RM303,121 with the remaining RM45,000 kept in banks.
The Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq Mosque in affluent Bangsar have a savings of RM320,000 compared to savings of only RM3,100 by the Kampung Chenderah Mosque, a rural area in Melaka.
The survey found the funds are kept in savings or current accountsand not invested in a more dynamic and professional way to bring in good returns.
With the country having more than 5,000 mosques they believe there isan estimated RM300 million in funds even if one mosque was to have saved an average of RM60,000a year.
And if just one third of the total savings or RM100 million was invested prudently, the returns would be very encouraging. But this would be based on the assumption that the funds are managed by experienced and skilled investment companies or fund managers.
The key findings of the research was that many mosques are keeping their funds and assets frozen without using them in activities which may bring more beneficial returns to the mosques and the people staying within the mosques’ vicinity.
“It seems mosques are more inclined to put funds from contributions of the people living within their vicinity in banks and financial institutionsfor minimal returns,” said Dr Sanep.
He said there is need for members of the management committees of mosques to be given courses and training in order to upgrade their skills in organising activities at mosques besides managing their funds and assets.
Dr Sanep said though the research was based on data collected in 1999 and done in 2000, the findings are still relevant and used as a reference until now.
Members of the team have since been invited to help organise meetings on mosques management and management of their funds.
Many religious departments like the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) have since been organising courses on mosque management.
“What we are most grateful is our research is being used as one of the topic in a reference book published in 2008 by Malaysia Technology University (UTM), Skudai, Johor in its publication titled‘Managing High Quality Mosques:Spurring Excellence in Mosques Management’, said Dr Sanep.
“We recommended religious departments or Islamic Religious Councils in all the states draw up a comprehensive investment strategy and appoint fund managers or reliable investment managers to manage their funds.
No doubt there are efforts by the Co-operative Development Department to form Mosques Co-operatives but these were new and the mosques committee members did not have the skill and experience and was thus not that encouraging,” said Dr Sanep.
On efforts to upgrade the skills of members of the management committees, he said that qualification and important posts held previously by the chairman and members do not necessarily mean that they are also capable of managing the funds and assets of the mosques.
The research found the chairmen of most mosque committees are usually university degree holders since most of them were retired senior officers of the government andthus held in high esteem.
The chairman and his committee members needed training and continuous exposure in the management of funds and activities. To ensure the courses are beneficial the research recommended the committee members served five years compared to only two years as was the current practice.
However what is most important is every committee member must be willing to accept change and upgrade their skills, Dr Sanep said.
In managing the funds and assets, training in accounting skills is a must especially when many treasurers electedto mosque committees do not possess such skills.
It is also necessary for people living near mosques to participate in courses such as information technology, ways to help generate more funds and managing assets given for endowment by Muslims.
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