Erick Thohir Is Expected To Be Able To Make A Breakthrough In Synergizing Indonesian Sharia Banks With Fintech

Minister of BUMN, Erick Thohir. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Sharia Division of the Indonesian Joint Funding Fintech Association (AFPI), Lutfi Adiansyah hopes that the General Chair of the Sharia Economic Community or MES for the 2021-2024 period, BUMN Minister Erick Thohir, can produce strategic breakthroughs in synergizing Indonesian Syariah Bank (BSI) and sharia fintech .

"We know that the banking sector is closely related to sharia fintech, not competing but collaborating, so that if the direct connection is what we hope, there must be breakthroughs in the synergy of the Indonesian Sharia Bank which has just merged with sharia fintech players," Lutfi said as quoted by Antara Sunday 24 January.

According to him, previously the sharia banking infrastructure was left behind. It is hoped that with the merger of three Islamic banks, which then have larger total assets, they will certainly have stronger infrastructure after joining.

He also saw that MES was actually an organization that used to oversee the government's strategic policies related to the sharia economy.

"I hope that these values will reappear because I believe in 2021 towards 2024, especially with the existence of bodies such as the National Committee for Sharia Economics and Finance (KNEKS), there is a need for synergy between regulators, academics, business actors and the community. can give birth to the same vision and mission, "said Lutfi.

The master plan or the 2019-2024 sharia economic master plan, in which one of the visions is to want Indonesia to become the world's halal center.

To become the world's halal center, according to him, requires the participation of many stakeholders of the Islamic economy, so this needs to be aligned.

"MES is also part of the alignment of experts and the community gathered there so I hope that with the leadership of Mr. Erick Thohir there will be strategic breakthroughs," said Lutfi.

He also hopes that MES under the leadership of BUMN Minister Erick Thohir can discuss and find solutions to a number of challenges in the development of sharia economic infrastructure in Indonesia, such as one regarding the sharia business unit (UUS).

"I see that Erick Thohir's figure is currently strategic considering that he is the Minister of BUMN and is currently merging (merging) the three largest state-owned sharia banks," said the chairman of AFPI's sharia sector, Lutfi Adiansyah.

Previously, BUMN Minister Erick Thohir was elected as General Chair of the Sharia Economic Community (MES) for the period 2021-2024 at the Sharia Economic Community National Conference which took place on Saturday, January 23, 2021. Erick Thohir replaced WImboh Santoso, Chair of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), who served as Chairman General MES 2017-2020 period.

In the midst of this pandemic, Erick hoped, it could be a momentum for the Islamic economy to rise and have better resistance to shocks.