Maim’s practices for zakat communication strategy via new media

The Enactment of Islamic Religious Administration (State of Malacca) 2002 clearly stated that the Melaka Islamic Religious Council (MAIM) is responsible for organizing, planning and managing welfare matters of zakat beneficiaries for all asnaf groups. In fact, accumulated zakat would be distributed to specific groups (asnaf) for economic driven purposes, not just for short term, but also for long term economic purposes which is to enable these asnaf groups to break free from poverty domains. To date, communication promotion strategies regarding zakat collection and distribution in Melaka has been fruitful due to the increasing rate of zakat collection per year. Nonetheless, the question is how effective is the new media strategy done by MAIM in communicating and promoting information about zakat collection and activities within the Melaka areas? In fact, new media could have positive impacts such as promoting physical activities of zakat distribution to asnaf. Thus, this paper discusses how the zakat communication strategies conducted by MAIM through new media serve as a communication source in highlighting zakat management and distribution activities done by Zakat Melaka and MAIM. This study applies descriptive methods using qualitative approaches. Significantly, the data gleaned and the results of the study done would contribute towards providing clear cut information which could guide towards the improvement of zakat collection, distribution and administration for MAIM in future.