Journal Article

Sustainability Integration in Waqf Practices at Public Higher Education Institutions: Socio-economic Impacts of USIM Specialist Clinic

Alias, Mohammad Haji, Hamid, Suhaila Abdul, Muna'Aim, Maimunah Abdul

2025

Overview

Purpose: Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) took a pioneering step by becoming the first public university appointed as mutawalli (trustee) by the Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (MAINS). Uniquely, the waqf project is focused on healthcare services. Through the collaboration of MAINS and later the Negeri Sembilan State Government, USIM established the USIM Specialist Health Clinic (KPKU) in May 2015. These clinics provide medical services to asnaf (eligible zakat recipients), low-income groups, and paying patients seeking specialist care. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to discuss the socio-economic impacts of waqf projects, namely the outreach program on the mobile clinic for ophthalmology of USIM Specialist Health Clinic known as KLiP Mobile. Design/methodology/approach: Data for this article were obtained from one of the coauthors, an eye specialist involved in the KLiP Mobile Outreach Program. The information covers the full-time frame from January 1, 2016, the first day of the outreach campaign, to June 23, 2025. During the mobile clinic sessions, information was gathered directly from patients, either through walk-ins or booked referrals. Each patient had an in-person ophthalmological examination and interview performed by trained medical professionals. Before analysis, the gathered data was methodically documented, anonymized to preserve patient privacy, and then cleaned. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 24, was used to analyze the data. To summarize the data and provide a general picture of patient demographics, the frequency of eye problems identified, and service usage trends, descriptive statistical techniques were employed. Descriptive statistics were chosen for this study because they allow for patient profiling and the identification of trends and distributions in the dataset, both of which are critical for assessing the KLiP Mobile Outreach Program's coverage, reach, and initial community impact. In addition to that telephone interviews were also conducted with 45 patients from the 2023 record. The data was later transcribed and analyze using thematic analysis. Findings: The study indicates that the KLiP Mobile project enhanced access to affordable ophthalmology services for asnaf and low-income groups, while also raising community awareness on eye health. It further highlights the socio-economic value of integrating waqf resources with state support to deliver sustainable healthcare services. Research limitations/implications: Due to the time constraint, the study is limited to a single case and relies on descriptive analysis, which may not capture the full range of socio-economic outcomes. Future studies should include other waqf-based projects under the USIM Healthcare Sdn Bhd and apply other methods to obtain data such as focus groups and survey. Practical implications: The findings suggest that healthcare-based waqf initiatives can be scaled to other medical services, especially those high cost and critical medical services, encouraging greater community participation and strengthening sustainable waqf management practices. Originality/value: This study offers original contributions in several ways. First, it analyzes a case of a Malaysian public university (USIM) acting as a mutawalli (trustee), which remains uncommon in higher education institutions both locally and worldwide. The findings indicate the importance of engagement between the university and the community in enhancing the quality of life of the community and first-hand experience for medical students. Second, unlike most waqf initiatives that focus on education or infrastructure, this research highlights a healthcare-focused waqf project, showing its role in providing inclusive medical services to both asnaf and the wider community. Third, the study provides a context-specific socioeconomic impact assessment of a mobile ophthalmology clinic (KLiP Mobile), thus expanding the model on innovative modern waqf practices specifically for waqf-based healthcare delivery methods. Finally, by connecting waqf, healthcare access, and social sustainability, the paper enriches the interdisciplinary discussion on Islamic social finance and public health.

• Publisher: Mehran Nejati
• Subject: Access to education / Charitable foundations / Collaboration / Colleges & universities / Community development / Health care access / Higher education / Islam / Literature reviews / Low income groups / Mobile businesses / Ophthalmology / Outreach services / Patients / Public health / Religion / Social impact / Sustainable development / Trends