PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) has prepared an allocation of RM5 million to help flood victims throughout the country, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said.

He added that the initial aid will be channelled to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia's (JAKIM)/Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia's Musaadah Fund as well as the Islamic religious councils in states affected by floods.

He also urged all Muslims in Malaysia to contribute their zakat to enable continuous aid to be channelled to those in need, especially those affected by floods, adding that early zakat payments would allow zakat boards to plan on how to channel aid for disasters better.

"Pay zakat earlier, without needing to wait till the end of the year, (it) will enable the zakat boards to execute their duties in distributing zakat to those in need. The earlier we pay zakat, the more people will receive aid. Insya-Allah," he told reporters at the Year End Zakat x Saloma Market Carnival here last night.

The current total of flood evacuees at relief centres in eight states as of 8pm is 146,611 people.-- BERNAMA