Airlangga Hartarto Asks South Sulawesi Ulemas To Pray For MSMEs To Rise From The Pandemic

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto. (Ist)

MAKASSAR - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto asked for prayers from scholars in South Sulawesi (South Sulawesi) so that Indonesia would soon get out of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is now entering its third cycle.

Airlangga said that currently active cases in South Sulawesi are around 10 thousand. This number is down considerably compared to the previous number of delta cases. It also shows that the pandemic has started to fall far from its peak.

"Thank God, it's all thanks to the work in handling Covid and thanks to the support and prayers of all kiai and scholars," said Airlangga at the Islamic Boarding School's Ulama and MSME Gathering Forum at the Claro Hotel, Makassar, quoted from a written statement, Saturday, March 12.

The General Chairperson of the Golkar Party DPP acknowledged that the role of kiai and clerics was very large, so that people in South Sulawesi have now been injected with 85 percent of the first dose of vaccine, and the second dose has reached 79 percent of the target of 70 percent.

"The kiai's role is central in vaccination, because if the kiai says the vaccine is halal, the community will participate to be vaccinated. "The handling of Covid in South Sulawesi is good and the community seems to have started their activities so the economy has started to move," said Airlangga.

Airlangga also underlined the very central role of ulama in creating religious harmony.

He also emphasized that the state is also present and obliged to create religious harmony side by side with the ulama.

As the assistant minister to the president, Airlangga felt compelled to have a friendly relationship with the ulama, including encouraging economic activities for the people, one of which was encouraging the people's economy which was manifested in sharia economic policies.

"The government has merged a sharia-based state-owned bank to become an Indonesian Sharia Bank. This is a great economic engine for the people and is certainly expected to encourage the SME economy and the people's economy," said the General Chairperson of the Golkar Party DPP.

Airlangga, who was present with the Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, expressed his readiness to encourage and support the formation of a sharia-based industrial area.

"The government also encourages and supports, based on the Job Creation Law, so that MSMEs engaged in the food sector are given free certification," said Airlangga.

The government, according to Airlangga, is here to provide the cost of halal certification and entirely involves the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). The government also involves Islamic organizations to provide assistance so that MSMEs can easily get halal certification.

"That is the government's commitment to building the people's economy," said Airlangga.

Airlangga on this occasion also praised South Sulawesi's economic growth, in the fourth quarter of 2021, where South Sulawesi's economic growth reached 7.8 percent, which was above the national economic growth of 5 percent.

"However, year on year (yoy) the economic growth of South Sulawesi and the national level is the same, namely 4.7 percent," said Airlangga.

He hopes that by 2022, South Sulawesi and national economic growth will increase as funds for handling Covid and economic recovery have been provided amounting to IDR 455 trillion. The government also continues to maintain the welfare of the people by providing social protection funds of Rp. 54.8 trillion.

This assistance includes a family of hope program, basic food assistance, assistance for Kali five traders and warungs and fishermen, which is prepared for 2.7 million Indonesians and is spread over 212 districts and cities.

"At the same time, we are trying to eliminate extreme poverty so that it will disappear from Indonesia in 2024," said Airlangga.

Through these programs, Airlangga has shown that the Government is present and committed to reducing the gap between the affluent and the people whose purchasing power must be supported and maintained by the government.

According to Airlangga, the people of South Sulawesi are a religious society, which is always together with the government to help prosper the people physically and mentally. "Let us create ukhuwah Islamiyah and ukhuwah Insaniah towards a society that is rahmatan lil alamin," concluded Airlangga.