Pesantrens Expected to be The Driver of Sharia Economy in East Java

Surabaya, East Java (Antara) - Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Agus D W Martowardojo said Islamic boarding schools (Pesantren) could serve as the driving motors for expansion of sharia economy in East Java given the regional potential. "The potentials of Pesantren as an institution providing Islamic studies for young Muslims could be utilized as the driving motor in the education of sharia finance in Indonesia. Therefore we plan to discuss that matter on Nov. 5 in an Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) in Surabaya," Agus said here on Monday. Agus was briefing reporters on the Indonesia International Conference on Islamic Finance titled "An Integrated Development of Islamic Finance Toward Financial Stability and Sustainable Economic Development" held here on Nov. 3-4 ahead of the festival. He said the central bank and the Financial Service Authority (OJK) hailed the province for its success in accelerating implementation of the program for sharia economic development. He attributed the success to the role played by East Java Governor Soekarwo. "We hope that a cooperation agreement on the Surabaya declaration for the creation and expansion of sharia economy in East Java could be signed on Nov. 5," he said. East Java is an Islam stronghold especially Nahdatul Ulama, the country's largest non political Islamic organization. East Java Governor Soekarwo said expansion of sharia economy in East Java is highly potential with the support of 6,000 units of Pesantren in the province . In fact the operators of the Islamic boarding schools urged the government to be serious in implementing the program, he said. "All kiais (Islamic scholars) in East Java support implementation of the concept of sharia economic restructuring," he said. (*)