Hidayat Nur Wahid 'Slaps' Sri Mulyani On Waqf Funds: Irony And Contradiction

JAKARTA - The government program to build infrastructure worth IDR 597 billion using waqf funds has received negative comments from many parties. One of those who criticized the program to be run by the Ministry of Finance was Hidayat Nur Wahid.

The deputy chairman of the MPR RI gave Sri Mulyani a 'hard slap'. Hidayat considered that what Sri Mulyani said about the social purpose of using waqf funds was contradictory

More than that, Hidayat also revealed that the government program was ironic. This is because the government collects public funds. Hidayat conveyed his opinion via Twitter.

"Yes, it is a recurring contradiction. And it is even more ironic because the funds of the people want to be collected; haj, zakat, waqf, umrah", Hidayat Nur Wadid said on his Twitter @hnurwahid, Wednesday, January 27.

Yes, it's a recurring contradiction. And even more ironically, because the funds of the people want to be collecting; Hajj, zakat, waqf, umrah. But corruption that has undermined the State & Nation's finances continues to be even more extreme; condensate, souls, asabri, bpjs labor, social assistance including for disabilities. https://t.co/eAoSwfs1OW

- Hidayat Nur Wahid (@hnurwahid) January 27, 2021

Hidayat's comment was in response to a tweet from Rizal Ramli. The Senior Economist, through me on Twitter @RamliRizal also criticized Sri Mulyani's statement. Rizal revealed that the government has been promoting Islamophobia, but it turns out that Islamic funds have been stolen too.

"Islamophobia is intensified, but when it comes to financial difficulties, seduces, and utilizes public funds, waqf and haj funds. It's very contradictory", Rizal tweeted.

Meanwhile, the contradiction that is meant by Hidayat is the state financial condition in the government. The government wants to build infrastructure using waqf funds, but corruption is still rife. Corruption is precisely what causes state finances to decline further.

"But the corruption that undermines the finances of the State continues to be even more extreme; condensate, souls, asabri, bpjs labor, social assistance, including those with disabilities", said Hidayat.