KNKS, Jakarta - The National Islamic Finance Committee (KNKS) on Thursday evening 14/05/2019 agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Villages, Rural Regions Development, and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemendes PDTT) in order to develop the Islamic economic and financial services in villages, rural, and transmigration areas. The joint cooperation is signed directly by the General Secretary of Kemendes PDTT, Anwar Sanusi, and Executive Director of KNKS, Ventje Rahadrjo.

The signing was part of the whole agenda of the Indonesia Islamic Economy Masterplan 2019-2024 launching event held at the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) office inaugurated by the current Indonesia’s Presiden, Joko Widodo.

The Deputy Director of KNKS’ Islamic Inclusive Finance Division, Jamil Abbas, explains that the partnership with Kemendes PDTT is done as a mutual effort to support the Village-owned companies (BUMDes) so they could provide the ideal and beneficial Islamic financial services to people in villages and rural areas. In addition he says that currently there are more than 40,000 existing BUMDes across the country. It is considered as the national assets that potentially increase the Islamic financial inclusion if it can be put optimally.

When he is asked about the very next step after the MoU signing, Jamil Abbas says that KNKS will coordinate with Kemendes PDTT to prepare the pilot project of the desired programme. Concisely, he explains that the programme is considered as a movement in form of collaboration between BUMDes and many other formal Islamic financial institutions, involving Islamic banks and financial technology (fintech) companies.

“To the next we hope that people in villages and rural areas have access to the Islamic financial products and services that during this time generally operate only in the large urban centres”, says Jamil.

Reporter : Yodi Izharivan
Editor : Ahmad Juwaini