OJK Says It Has Not Received Application For A Sharia BTN Merger Permit With Muamalat

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) stated that until now it has not received a request for a permit related to corporate action in the form of a merger or merger between BTN Syariah and Bank Muamalat.

"Currently there is no application for a permit related to the corporate action plan," explained the Chief Executive of the OJK Banking Supervision, Dian Ediana Rae in her statement, quoted Friday, January 12.

Dian added that both parties had communicated with the OJK.

Meanwhile, if there is a bank applying to the OJK, then it will immediately evaluate and process according to applicable regulations.

Dian conveyed that related to efforts to develop and strengthen the Islamic banking industry, OJK will support consolidation steps that will be taken in the context of developing Indonesian Islamic banking.

"OJK will encourage consolidation of BUS and UUS to become a new Islamic bank with a minimum total asset of IDR 200 trillion. We hope that there will be 1-2 BUS consolidated results," he explained.

Furthermore, Dian said that with this consolidation effort, it is hoped that the future Islamic banking market structure will be more ideal with the presence of several more competitive large-scale Islamic banks.

Previously, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir revealed that the corporate action plan was in the form of a merger, between Bank Muamalat and Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN). It is targeted that the merger of the two banks will take place in March next year.

"It's in the process of being discussed. If everything goes well, Marer can be final. He wanted yesterday (finals) but March," he said at a press conference at the Ministry of SOEs, Jakarta, Tuesday, December 19.

Erick admitted that he had held discussions with the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) and the Ministry of Religion regarding the planned merger.

"Yesterday we discussed with BPKH, the Minister of Religion. Maybe we don't synergize between Bank Muamalat and BTN Syariah to make a large alternative Islamic bank," he said.

Furthermore, Erick said, if the corporate action can be realized, then Indonesia will have a large Islamic bank, apart from PT Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI).

"If it is merged later, maybe you can enter the Top 16, and who knows the top 10," he said.