In order to increase Sharia financial literacy, especially regarding Infrastructure Financing, the Central Leadership Council of the Association of Indonesian Islamic Economic Experts (IAEI) together with the Regional Leadership Council of IAEI Banten and PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (Persero) held a hybrid National Seminar on Islamic Economics on Wednesday (09/2 ) at UIN Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Serang, Banten. This seminar carries the theme "Sharia Financing Sustainable Indonesian Infrastructure".
This seminar activity is a routine program organized by IAEI to socialize and educate the public about government development programs, especially in the economic sector. Chairman of the IAEI Banten DPW, Dr. Nihayatul Masykuroh emphasized that in terms of development in Indonesia, especially sustainable development which outlines the 5 (five) maqashid of sharia, one of which is in terms of infrastructure development, whether health, education, or others.
“One of the SDGs in Banten Province is about halal management which is centered in Cikande. "For this reason, we hope that we can work together in synergy with the government to implement a sustainable infrastructure program," said the Chair of the IAEI Banten DPW.
The Chancellor of UIN Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten also explained that this activity was an extraordinary initiative, because it was thinking about how to make this infrastructure financing sustainable in Indonesia. Banten Province has an extraordinary vision, one of which is aimed at akhlaqul karimah, so that the economy and infrastructure financing are not related to the values of akhlaqul karimah.
Prof. Dr. Euis Amalia also added that currently the biggest challenge is how to restore economic conditions, especially for MSMEs who are the most affected parties. The provision of this financing is based on risk-sharing economic growth and shared prosperity to develop its business amidst Covid-19 conditions while encouraging it to enter the halal industry.
Andre Permana as Business Executive Director of PT Pembinaan Infrastruktur Indonesia said that the government can also support financing involving the business and private sector through the Government and Business Entity Cooperation Scheme (KPBU) and Sharia-based Infrastructure Guarantee. "Support is in the form of fiscal tools such as project preparation facilities, because in PPP the government does not act as a spending agency that allocates the budget, but uses the private sector's budget, meaning the government is the contracting agency," said Andre Permana.
Seeing this, the role of Islamic finance is very large in achieving the SDGs targets. “The area of the business is wide open. Indonesia itself is included in the highest category of halal industrial consumers with a share of 10%. "This means that Indonesia has a huge opportunity to become the center of the Islamic financial economy in the world," said Dr. Rizqullah Thohuri from the IAEI DPP Sharia Banking Development Sector as well as the closing speaker at the National Seminar on Islamic Economics in Banten this time.
"This event is extraordinary, which God willing, will be very useful not only for academic theoretical development in the field of sharia economics, but also able to make a positive contribution, especially for Banten Province. "We at the IAEI DPP of course welcome this event, because with this there will also be links and matches between the campus world and industry, and also related stakeholders," said the Head of the IAEI DPP Education Division, Prof. Dr. Euis Amalia, M.Ag.