Accountability, Internal Control and Risks in Financial Management of Religious Institutions

Mosques and suraus in Malaysia serve as religious institutions for the local Muslim community to perform congregational prayers. The role of these institutions in receiving donations and contributions from the public, private entities, and government allocations requires a review of their financial management. This study aims to assess the need of internal control in the financial management of religious institutions in Putrajaya as a measure of accountability to their stakeholders. Additionally, the study determine whether the risks associated with the implementation of these internal controls have been identified. This qualitative research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with six surau representatives selected as samples. Narrative analysis was employed to examine the collected data, aiming to uncover issues and weaknesses in the financial management of suraus. The study found a low level of accountability due to several weaknesses, particularly in the areas of cash receipt and security, petty cash payments, procurement, accounting, and the overall lax supervision of financial management in religious institutions in Putrajaya. Furthermore, the risks of misappropriation, abuse, wastage, loss, and data discrepancies were identified as potential issues stemming from poorly organized internal controls. This study serves as a foundation for regulatory bodies such as the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) to plan improvements in the financial management of religious institutions.