Sri Mulyani Uses Waqf Funds For Infrastructure, Hidayat Nur Wahid: The People's Funds Are Collected, And Corruption Takes Away The State Money

Deputy Chairman of MPR RI, Hidayat Nur Wahid. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government plans to build a number of infrastructure facilities using waqf funds. The provision of the infrastructure was valued at IDR 597 billion.

Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani explained that they currently collected waqf money as of December 2020 has reached IDR 328 billion. The minister also emphasized that IDR 54 billion of which was allocated funds from Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS).

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

The use of waqf funds to build infrastructure facilities received mixed reactions, one of which was from a senior economist, Rizal Ramli. Through his Twitter account, he touched on the issue of Islamophobia.

"Islamophobia is being intensified, but when it comes to financial difficulties, they seduce and utilize the people's funds, waqf and haj funds. It's very contradictory", he tweeted, Wednesday, January 27.

Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid also responded to this. He considered, what was said by Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani regarding the use of waqf funds for social purposes was contradictory.

In addition, he revealed that the government program looks ironic because the government collects funds from the people while corruption continues to undermine state finances.

"Yes, that is a recurring contradiction. And it is even more ironic because people want to collect funds; Hajj, zakat, waqf, umrah. But corruption, which eats away at the state and nation's finances, continues to be even more extreme; condensate, soul, asabri, BPJS, manpower, social assistance including those with disabilities", explained Hidayat Nur Wahid.