Erick Thohir Re-Elected as Chairman of Sharia Economic Community

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir was re-elected as General Chair of the Sharia Economic Community (MES) for the period 2023-2025, at the VI MES National Conference in Jakarta on Sunday.

Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), KH Arif Fahrudin said that the MUI Leadership Council congratulated Erick Thohir on the re-election as Chairman of MES.

“We hope that this will further increase the growth and development of the sharia economy both at the national and global levels,” said Arif in a written statement on Sunday.

Arif said, hopefully the sharia economy in the future can actually and significantly strengthen the foundations and wheels of the national economy.

“Sharia economics is also universal and popular, hopefully sharia economics will continue to accompany the people in the real sector and strengthen the nation’s economy,” said Arif.

As previously reported, Erick Thohir, General Chair of the Sharia Economic Community (MES) for the 2023-2025 service period, expressed optimism that the target of sharia banking growth of up to 25 percent could be achieved. Of course, to make this dream come true, it needs to be supported by increasing the number of sharia banks in Indonesia.

“Perhaps (reaching the target of 25 percent) that’s why we first encourage international bank policy, if possible, to separate sharia business units (UUS) and conventional banks. So there aren’t many wings. If they were separated, there would be many sharia banks, so there would be more open competition. “This is what we encourage,” he said.

Erick also encouraged more sharia business units (UUS) to separate themselves from their parent banks and immediately form sharia commercial banks (BUS). According to him, this step needs to be taken so that sharia banking is not only monopolized by Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI).

“There must be competition for Islamic banks. “I hope that other sharia banks will be even bigger,” he said. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)