There Is A Network Similar To The Muamalah Market In Bantul

A resident passes in front of the shop "Muamalah Market" which is sealed by the police in Tanah Baru, Depok (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Yogyakarta Special Region Industry and Trade Office said that the market which was suspected of having a network with Muamalah Market in the province had only been found in Bantul Regency.

"So far, no other regencies exist except in Bantul Regency," said Yanto Apriyanto, Head of Domestic Trade at the DIY Department of Industry and Trade, when contacted in Yogyakarta, Friday.

Previously, the Bantul Regency government closed three markets in Bantul that were suspected of being the Muamalah Market network because the payment transactions used foreign currency in the form of dirhams and dinars.

The three of them are located in Sedayu District, east of Panembahan Senopati Bantul Hospital in Trirenggo Village, and on Jalan Parangtritis km 4.3 Saman, Bangunharjo Village, Sewon.

He said that since the Muamalah Market case, which was founded by Zaim Saidi, on Jalan Raya Tanah Baru, Beji Depok, West Java, appeared since the Muamalah Market case, they together with Bank Indonesia and the Yogyakarta Regional Police have coordinated to monitor the market network in DIY.

Market traders on Jalan Parangtritis Bantul who are suspected of having networks with Muamalah Market, he said, usually carry out buying and selling transactions using foreign currencies in the form of dirhams and dinars every Sunday on the Legi market. Meanwhile, on normal days, we still use the rupiah currency.

"But on normal days it is possible that they will also receive dinars and dirhams as well," he said.

According to him, the government has made an approach by asking market managers to avoid using foreign currency in transactions because it violates Law Number 7/2011 concerning Currencies.

"If only to empower MSMEs, it does not matter if the currency is not foreign. Please develop MSMEs, but if you use other than the rupiah currency, we are forced to take action," he said.

Previously, the police named Saidi as a suspect in Article 9 of Law No. 1/1946 on Criminal Law and Article 33 of Law No. 7/2011 on Currency, with the threat of one year in prison and a fine of Rp200 million.

As a market manager, Saidi determines the purchase price of dinar and dirham coins according to the price prevailing at PT Aneka Tambang, with an added 2.5 percent as profit.

The dinar used in transactions in the market was in the form of gold coins weighing 4.25 grams and 22 carat gold, while the dirhams used were pure silver coins weighing 2.975 grams.