Waqf Management in Malaysia

by Syed Othman al-Habshi
Chapter 6 in The Islamic Voluntary Sector in Southeast Asia, 1991
editor Mohamed Ariff
publisher Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore

Administration of waqf lands in Malaysia-
• Administrative set up of the relevant dept within each State’s Relgious Council requires drastic review in terms of size structure and personnel
• No complete listing of waqf properties made
Observations
• All Muslim cemeteries considered as waqf lands as then exempt from quit rent
• Mosques, suraus and religious schools usually arise from specific wakaf – under Shafie cannot change the purpose of the lands
• Waqf for specific purposes form the largest proportion of waqf lands, particularly for cemeteries
• Concludes that therefore only 10% is available for income generating purposes
• But not all wakaf land has been traced and transferred to the religious departments. Some still in original trustees hands eg mosque committees
• Many of these rented out long term and below market rental
• Many are under Rent Control
• Most are in towns, a few in the rural areas
• Lands transferred subject to quit rent except for cemeteries or if transferred to the President State Religious Dept thereby making it government property – therefore no incentive to transfer the lands – costs money for the religious dept to upkeep the wakaf lands
Development of wakaf properties
• Not well developed. Mostly just rented out
• Melaka and Penang have made some progress at developing wakaf lands. Also Perak and Terengganu
• Many lands are uneconomical in size and shape and sporadically situated
Generally, shortage in personnel, funds and expertise