Established in April 2020, IKHLAS has greatly expanded its suite of offerings to be there for Muslims whenever the need for Islamic products or services arises. Almost every month in the first half of 2021 saw a fresh product launch to make it easier for the community to fulfil their religious obligations. In January, it introduced Sadaqah, an online platform for organisations (including IKHLAS itself) to collect donations for distribution to worthy causes. By year end, 220 organisations had signed up onto the platform and 235 campaigns were held raising RM2.42 million which benefitted 32,000 families. Other than funds, 81,000 meals were distributed to various beneficiaries. In March, two products were launched – Fidyah and Shop. Through Fidyah, donations made by those who missed fasting on certain days during Ramadan are channelled to the needy. During the year, this comprised close to 250 families throughout Malaysia. Shop, meanwhile, is an e-commerce site curated specifically to Muslim needs. It currently offers 945 different items sourced from 54 merchants – encompassing prayer mats and related amenities to halal food including pre-packaged meals and fresh meats, beauty products, health supplements, books, Islamic art and garments, among others. IKHLAS subsequently made zakat payments much more convenient, with the launch of an eponymous service. The platform was rolled out in April, just in time for payments during Ramadan. May saw the soft launches of two apps – IKHLAS and Sahabat – the first for personal use, and the second for use by organisations. Through the personal app, users can access relevant information such as prayer times, Qiblah (ie direction of Mecca), Islamic services and community engagement. Sahabat, meanwhile, is an app for community leaders including organisations and service providers to manage their communities or their offerings. The team is still gathering feedback from users of both apps with the idea of fine tuning them and integrating them with other core AirAsia functions before the apps are officially launched. Finally, in June, the team expanded its Qurban service for the domestic market, after offering it for the international market in 2020. Using this platform, Muslims can pay for cows or goats that have been sacrificed to be delivered to recipients (friends, family or the underprivileged) in 36 countries around the world – including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Philippines, Somalia, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. These new products and services add to Aqiqah, which was launched in 2020, through which goats are sacrificed to honour and celebrate the birth of a child for Muslim families. A key differentiator of IKHLAS is its link with Capital A, which provides a ready-made database that can be tapped into and further developed. IKHLAS has also inherited the indelible AirAsia stamp which ensures everything it does will be at the highest quality but at the most affordable price. What is more, every purchase or transaction on IKHLAS will earn the customer BIG Points which can be redeemed for anything within the Capital A ecosystem. As the year 2022 unfolds, the team will seek to drive more traffic onto its website while also enhancing awareness of its apps to attract more downloads. Along with increased traffic, it will invest in further improvements to the platform design and infrastructure so as to ensure quick, convenient and easy navigation for a seamless and intuitive experience. Meanwhile, more products are being developed to fulfil the one-stop platform promise. Although the focus in 2021 has been to expand into a range of non-travel products and services, the mainstay of IKHLAS continues to be its Umrah packages. And, as international borders re-open, the platform will once again guide Muslims as they design their own travel, ensuring the most professional and warm service, at the most affordable price. With IKHLAS, fulfilling one’s lifelong dream to go on a pilgrimage will be possible for everyone. Ventures I K H L A S From being one of the lines of business under airasia Super App, IKHLAS has come into its own and is now a full-fledged Islamic lifestyle venture being fast-tracked as a RedBeat Capital (formerly known as RedBeat Ventures) startup. Its objective is to be a one-stop Muslim-friendly travel and lifestyle platform that provides affordable products and services for the Muslim community not just in Malaysia but the region. • Sadaqah • Fidyah • Shop • IKHLAS App • Sahabat App • Expansion of Qurban service for the domestic market Products Launched in FY2021 Business Review (cont’d.) 0 9 4 C A P I T A L A B E R H A D
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