Jakarta, March 13 -- The National Alms Agency (Baznas) of Indonesia has voiced its commitment to leveraging the Islamic philanthropic funds it collects and manages to contribute to national development and efforts against poverty in the country.

In an official statement cited here on Thursday, Baznas Deputy Head Mokhamad Mahdum noted that the agency has been striving to optimize these funds in an innovative and professional manner to empower both their collectors and beneficiaries and achieve Islamic sustainable development goals.

He emphasized that Islamic philanthropic funds, including zakat, are not merely instruments for dispersing wealth and assets but also serve as strategic tools for sustainably empowering the people's economy. ...