Zakat Pulau Pinang (ZPP) has no qualms about doing business with non-Muslim companies although this has raised the eyebrow of several Malay NGOs.
 
State executive councillor for Islamic affairs Abdul Malik Kassim said the ZPP, a state agency, is compelled to follow procedures to obtain the best products with the cheapest quotations from companies.
 
ZPP is wholly owned by the Penang Islamic affairs council (MAIPP).
 
"Whether the company is owned by Muslims or non-Muslims is not an issue as long as we comply with the CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) procedures of appointing a company by open tender," Abdul Malik said at a press conference today.
 
Malik was reaponding to allegations raised by Persatuan Pedagang dan Pengusaha Melayu Malaysia (Perdasama) Pulau Pinang that ZPP should not be doing business with non-Muslim companies.
 
Malay daily Sinar Harian quoted Perdasama secretary Malik Feisal Abdul Rahim as saying that ZPP gave out vouchers to buy school items from a non-Muslim company.
 
"The company's profits are not distributed back to ZPP, so why is this still happening," said Malik Feisal in Sinar Harian.
 
Supply company 'may be audited'
 
Malik Feisal told the newspaper that he has received complaints about the matter from parents who were dissatisfied with the treatment they received from the companies where the vouchers came from.
 
The parents also complained about a shortage of school uniforms.
 
Malik Feisal questioned why the contract to supply school items was given to the same non-Muslim company every year, even though there are grievances about the services it provides.
 
Abdul Malik said ZPP is planning to conduct an audit for the company after discussions with MAIPP.
 
He proposed that the audit be conducted by the state secretariat and state finance department, in collaboration with ZPP.
 
"Based on all the complaints we received and the complete report from ZPP, we may conduct a forensic audit," he added.