KNEKS to Create A Sharia Economic Brand
Jakarta, MINA – The National Committee for Sharia Economics and Finance (KNEKS) will create a Sharia Economic Brand. The making of the brand is done through a competition and released towards the end of 2020.
“As a member of KNEKS, the Ministry of Religion welcomes and supports the program,” said the Director of Zakat and Waqf Empowerment Fuad Nasar in a Sharia Economic Brand Meeting which was held virtually online on Wednesday.
However, Fuad requested that the creation of a Sharia Economic Brand involve support, input, and affirmation from across stakeholders.
In addition to ministries/institutions and players in the Islamic finance industry, brand formation also needs to involve local governments, community organizations, universities and even representatives of the Republic of Indonesia abroad.
“This is in line with Indonesia’s vision as the center of the world’s Islamic economy and finance,” said Fuad.
According to him, Indonesia has relatively comprehensive Islamic economic and financial instruments in the world. These instruments cover the commercial economy and social economy sectors.
All exist and have the opportunity to develop, even though Islamic financial literacy is still relatively low.
Fuad considered that it needed mutual encouragement to improve it. Because the Sharia Economic Brand that is made must include all entities that knit all future development needs.
“So far, the Ministry of Religion has done many things in strengthening education and literacy of zakat and waqf as well as guaranteeing halal products in the country. Especially, for the zakat and waqf sector, the Ministry of Religion will continue to improve public literacy in line with the development trend of the Islamic social finance sector for national economic resilience,” said Fuad.
He added the founding fathers of the Indonesian state in 1945 have outlined in the Constitution that the economy is structured as a joint effort based on the principle of kinship.
Therefore, the principles of mutual help (ta’awun) and mutual cooperation as one of the basic values of Islamic economics and the pillars of the Pancasila Economic System are ideal characteristics that distinguish the Indonesian economy from a liberal-capitalistic economy with a spirit of free competition.
“The economic system that is in accordance with the nationality and outlook on life of the nation is expected to color the economic practice in our country in order to generate public prosperity, overcome poverty, and realize the fifth precept message of social justice for all Indonesian people,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the KNEKS, Ventje Rahardjo, explained that the four focuses of the KNEKS program were changes from the KNKS. The four focuses are the development of the halal industry, the development of sharia finance, the development of Islamic social finance in this case zakat and waqf social funds, as well as the development of MSMEs, and sharia-based businesses.
In addition, the Director of Education & Research for Sharia Finance, Sutan Emir Hidayat, explained that the background needs a Sharia Economic Brand. According to him, with the largest Muslim population, Indonesia has great potential in the development of the Sharia economy.
For the reason, it is deemed necessary to hold a Sharia Economic Branding Competition to get good results from the best.
“The Sharia Economic Brand is a state-owned logo/symbol which is a form of support for all activities related to Islamic economics and finance,” said Sutan Emir Hidayat. (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
