Rizal Ramli Sentil Sri Mulyani: Islamophobia Is Intensified, But Utilizes Community Funds To Build Infrastructure

JAKARTA - Senior economist, Rizal Ramli, keeps teasing the performance of the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati. This time, the former Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs launched his 'attack' on Sri Mulyani, who would use waqf funds for infrastructure development in the country.

"Islam-Phobia is being intensified, but when it comes to financial difficulties, seduces and utilizes ummah funds, waqf and haj funds. It's very contradictory," wrote Rizal Ramli on his Twitter account @RamliRizal, quoted by VOI, Wednesday, January 27.

Islam-Phobia is intensified, but when it comes to financial difficulties, seduces and takes advantage of ummah funds, endowments and haj funds. So contradictory ... pic.twitter.com/kxRiVOFLOH

- Dr. Rizal Ramli (@RamliRizal) January 27, 2021

Rizal Ramli's tweet is a caption from the uploaded photo from VOI's news entitled 'Sri Mulyani Hopes to Build Infrastructure Worth Rp.597 Billion from the Waqf Fund'. At the time this news was published, Rizal Ramli's tweets had already received 2,800 likes and 7,400 retweets.

As reported, the Ministry of Finance is targeting to build a number of infrastructure facilities worth Rp597 billion from waqf funds. Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani said that the total waqf money that had been collected until December 2020 amounted to IDR 328 billion. This figure is an accumulation of community funds deposited in a number of banks receiving waqf funds.

In addition, the Minister of Finance also emphasized that Rp. 54 billion was allocated from Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS). Meanwhile, CWLS itself is a new instrument issued by the Ministry of Finance, in which the yields obtained are used to finance various social programs.

"Given the amount and enthusiasm of community participation in waqf, stakeholders or stakeholders will develop cash waqf management to strengthen the Islamic Social Safety Net," he said Monday, January 25.

Sri Mulyani added, efforts to encourage the sharia system to play a more role in the economy are aimed at creating a sustainable sharia ecosystem. Then, the Minister of Finance also said that the rapid economic and financial sector of sharia, the Islamic social funds sector which includes zakat, infaq, shodaqoh, and waqf are also potential and strategic parts to be developed.

"Through trustworthy, transparent and professional management, cash waqf and waqf-based financial instruments can help accelerate national development and improve people's welfare," concluded Sri Mulyani.