KUALA LUMPUR: A letter is being circulated on social media allegedly issued by Felda Sg Tekam Utara, imposing a compulsory collection of sedekah from settlers.
However, Felda chairman Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh in responding to the New Straits Times' query on the matter this morning, briefly replied, "Sedekah is never compulsory."
In the letter addressed to all settlers of Felda Sg Tekam Utara, it informed that Felda had launched a programme called "Jom Sedekah".
"For your information, Felda Sg Tekam Utara and Felda Jengka 19 have been selected as the pioneers for this programme in the Jengka Felda region," the letter, issued in Bahasa Malaysia, read.
It went on to state that it was compulsory for each settler, out of a sense of ibadah, to "pledge a sincere contribution deemed as sedekah" amounting to RM300 each.
The collection will be made in the form of a monthly collection of RM50 from Oct 2020 to March 2021.
The donation would then be collected by Felda Sg Tekam Utara's mosque committee to be distributed to agencies in need via a special programme to be held in the month of Ramadhan next year.
It is unclear who signed the letter as the copy being shared on social media had the names and signatures redacted.