Govt to Establish 1,000 Vocational Training Centers
President Jokowi receives a number of Islamic clerics (kiai) and Islamic scholars (habib) from Greater Jakarta at the State Palace, Jakarta. (Photo by: Fitri /Public Relations).
The Government continues to develop peoples economy, among others by establishing micro waqf banks.
We are going to establish (the waqf bank) in Islamic boarding schools with a good business community environment, President Jokowi said in his remarks during a meeting with a number of Islamic clerics (kiai) and Islamic scholars (habib) from Greater Jakarta at the State Palace, Jakarta.
On that occasion, the President also responded to the accusation that his administration implements anti-Islam policies. He stressed that the issue is baseless because he was the one who signed the National Santri (Islamic students) Day.
How can I be considered to be anti-Islam? President Jokowi added.
Furthermore, the President also said that the development of peoples economy, including the development of micro waqf bank, has been running well because it has proven to be helpful. He cited an example of some people who have set up their own stalls, while they earned money as as street vendors. Thats what we aim for, the President said.
The Government, the President added, also planned to build 1,000 vocational training centers this year and they will operate according to the needs. The training centers are expected to help the Islamic Boarding Schools, President Jokowi said.
On that occasion, the President also told the participants that he is Chairperson of the National Committee for Sharia Finance (KNKS) and similar committees in other countries are chaired by their ministers, but President Jokowi himself took over the job because he sees a big opportunity in Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world.
According to the President, Indonesia has developed only 5 percent of its sharia economics and finance, left behind from other countries like Malaysia (23 percent), Saudi Arabia (51 percent), and United Arab Emirates (19 percent). This is something we have to improve, he added. Once the obstacles have been found, the President continued, he will order related ministries to take care of those obstacles. (DID/EN)
Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Edited by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas
