TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bank Indonesia (BI) governor Perry Warjiyo said that Indonesia as a Muslim majority country needs to catch up with the sharia economy faster than other countries.

“No need to compare with Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, we are left far behind,” Perry said at the opening discussion of “Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival” in Surabaya, East Java, Tuesday, December 11.

According to Perry, Indonesia should be able to export commodity of the halal industry without relying on other countries.

In fact, he went on, Indonesia is also not superior to non-Muslim majority countries such as Australia and Thailand that are able to export the commodity of the halal industry to countries with Muslim majority.

“Why we still have to import halal seasoning of rawon (East Java`s traditional dish) from Thailand?” he said.

Therefore, said the central bank governor, Indonesia can catch up by continuing to develop halal industry production. The increase of production capacity of the halal industry can be done through economic empowerment of Islamic boarding schools, among others.

The Islamic boarding schools already have the basis of an independent economy. Currently, said Perry, Indonesia can focus on developing various economic business units in Islamic boarding schools which will be the potential of developing cooperation between Islamic boarding schools.

Furthermore, it should be encouraged by business efficiency through the provision of virtual markets for Islamic boarding schools business products as well as business cooperation.

“The holding of Islamic boarding schools is also necessary, as well as formulating the financial report standardization for Islamic boarding schools under the name SANTRI (Indonesian Islamic Boarding School Accounting Standards) which can be used by every Islamic boarding schools business unit,” said the BI Governor.

ANTARA