REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono paid his zakat or alms to the National Alms Agency (Baznas), on Wednesday. He handed the money in person at Baznas headquarters in Jakarta.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono directly paid 20.7 million IDR for his year's income-based alms  and 1 million IDR of Eid al Fitr alms of 14 people," Chairman of the National Alms Agency (Baznas) Didin Hafidhuddin stated on Wednesday.

Yudhoyono in a meeting with Baznas noted that he would directly convey to the president electby the people to support Baznas, which has an important role in the community. Hafidhuddin praised the president's actions, which set an example for the Muslims in Indonesia.

In 2013, Baznas received 2.3 trillion IDR worth of alms from the people as compared to last year's about 2.1 trillion IDR. The increase in income-based alms averages 14 to 15 percent each year.

Moreover, the government has boosted charity through Presidential Instruction No. 3/2013 and has instructed all ministries and institutions to cooperate with Baznas.

Hafidhuddin was optimistic that once the presidential instruction comes into effect in August 2014, the receipts of alms would increase rapidly amounting 5 trillion IDR each year. This year, Baznas has forecast that the earnings from income-based alms will be around 3 trillion IDR.

For the distribution of alms, charity, and giving, Hafidhuddin remarked that Baznas has encouraged the improvement in society welfare through zakat community development. The alms is distributed to the most impoverished villages. At least 100 of the impoverished villages have received the alms and the number of recipients reached 1.7 million people.

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