VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 2 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) highlighted the performance of Indonesia's Islamic banking industry that grew at a faster rate than that of conventional banking despite the challenging times presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am pleased to be informed that the performance of the Indonesian Islamic banking continues to record stable growth, and that Islamic banking has managed to grow, even higher than conventional banking. We should be grateful," President Jokowi stated while inaugurating PT Bank Syariah Indonesia Tbk at the State Palace here on Monday.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Islamic banking industry marked a 10.9 percent (year-on-year/yoy) growth in assets or higher than conventional banking that recorded a 7.7-percent growth, according to the head of state.

Moreover, from the collection of third-party funds (DPK), the Islamic banking industry was able to record a growth of 11.56 percent, while conventional banks grew up to 11.49 percent.

Meanwhile, from the financing side, the Islamic banking industry in the country had grown about 9.42 percent, or much higher than conventional banks that recorded a 0.55-percent growth.

With such growth data, President Jokowi expressed confidence that Indonesia's Islamic economic industry would continue to grow rapidly.

"I believe Indonesia's sharia economy will grow very fast and will contribute significantly to the welfare of our people and society," President Jokowi stated.

However, Jokowi also reminded all parties to relentlessly strive to encourage growth of the national sharia economy, so that Indonesia will later become a sharia economic hub at the regional and global levels.

Currently, Jokowi noted that the Islamic economic sector in Indonesia had experienced significant growth and was ranked fourth in the world this year in line with the data from The State of Global Islamic Economy Indicator Report.

"In 2018, Indonesia's sharia economy was ranked 10th in the world. In 2019, it rose to the fifth rank in the world, and in 2020, Indonesia's sharia economy was ranked 4th in the world," President Jokowi stated. (Antaranews)

Feb. 2 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Monday inaugurated PT Bank Syariah Indonesia Tbk, merged from three state-owned sharia banks — PT Bank BRI Syariah Tbk, PT Bank Syariah Mandiri, and PT Bank BNI Syariah.

The inauguration, which took place at the State Palace, was well-received by the market, with the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) shooting up at the start of the new week.

The newly formed entity, Bank Sharia Indonesia (BSI), will be one of the largest sharia banks in Indonesia and also the world, with total assets of Rp214 trillion and core capital of Rp20.4 trillion.

On Monday, the JCI was up 205.19 points, or 3.5 percent, at 6,067.55 at close of trade. Meanwhile, the index of 45 leading stocks, or the LQ45 Index, rose 35.32 points, or 3.87 percent, to 947.3.

The JCI was already oversold after seven consecutive days of correction so the index bounced off its support area, Foster Asset Management analyst Hans Mulyadi Irawan said here on Monday.

"Today it strengthened in almost all sectors, especially by SOE stocks in the mining, banking, and construction sectors, which have been oversold and have experienced consecutive decreases. Today, the sentiment is the effective operation of Bank Syariah Indonesia (BRIS), SWF, and data. The improving Indonesian manufacturing index has also been the trigger for a stronger index, " he observed.

The merger of sharia banks, subsidiaries of state-owned lenders, is also expected to propel the development of the halal value chain in the country.

Based on the global index, Indonesia’s ranking in sharia economy and finance is among the top 10 in the fields of finance, food, and fashion, Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo said earlier.

Earlier this week, BRIS shares shot up 360 points, or 14.75 percent, to reach Rp2,800 per share. This week, the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) will still have a chance to strengthen, even though it will tend to be limited due to the lack of positive sentiment in the market, Hans forecast.

JCI, which opened lower on Monday, strengthened later and continued in the green zone until the close of trade.

Based on the IDX-IC Sectoral Index, all sectors recorded an increase, with the technology sector seeing the steepest jump at 10.07 percent, followed by the raw goods sector (8.25 percent) and the real estate infrastructure sector (5.24 percent).

The closing of the JCI was accompanied by sales of shares by foreign investors. The net foreign sales were recorded at Rp594.83 billion.

Meanwhile, 22.39 billion shares, valued at Rp24.02 trillion, were traded in 1,884,555 transactions on Monday. (Antaranews)

Feb. 1 - Some 28 Acehnese fishermen who have just been repatriated from India are conducting self isolation in Jakarta before being flown to Aceh province.

"They will be quarantined for five days and then flown to Aceh after they are really declared free from the COVID-19," Chief of the Liaison Agency of the Aceh Provincial Government (BPBA) Almuniza Kamal said on Sunday.

While in Jakarta, the 28 Acehenese fishermen stayed at Mercure Hotel on Gatot Subroto Street to conduct self isolation and undergo swab test, he said.

Almuniza said the Aceh government will continue to pay attention to the entire people of Aceh as a manifestation of Aceh Governor Nova Irfansyah's commitment.

The Aceh government expressed gratitude to all sides, particularly the Foreign Ministry, the Indonesian Embassy in India, and the fisheries resources surveillance station of the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (PSDKP-KKP RI)), that have assisted the repatriation of the Achenese fishermen.

Since early last year a total of 160 Acehnese fishermen have been detained abroad for trespassing in the waters of other countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and India, he said.

The 28 Acehnese fishermen arrived in Indonesia on Friday after being set free in India's islands of Andaman and Nicobar.

The Indian coastal guard police Durgabai Deshmukh arrested them at a location 55 nautical miles from Nicobar Island on March 3, 2020.

"With the advocacy of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi, and the hard work of the Aceh government and the PSDKP-KKP), the Andaman court set them free on January 16, 2021," deputy secretary general of Panglima Laot Aceh (leader of the local traditional sea community) Miftach Tjut Adek confirmed here on Friday.

Miftach expressed gratitude to the Aceh governor and the central government for their hard work and tireless advocacy for the Acehnese fishermen that led to their immediate release. Normally, the detention period may last for up to three years.

"In the past two years, our 160 fishermen were detained in the three countries of Myanmar, India, and Thailand. They were released immediately owing to the advocacy of the Aceh government and the central government," he affirmed.

With the repatriation of 28 Acehnese fishermen, three other fishermen from Aceh are yet being detained in India. (Antaranews)

Feb. 1 - The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park in Bali will be temporarily closed from February 1, 2021 to curb the risk of COVID-19 transmission, with the increased number of visitors.

"The decision was taken as our support to the government's policy to stop the COVID-19 transmission, especially in Bali Province," GM Marketing Communication & Event GWK Cultural Park, Andre Prawiradisastra said here on Sunday.

Previously, the popular tourist destination was closed when the pandemic gripped the country in March and was only reopened in early December 2020.

Prawiradisastra said the cultural park's management paid serious concern on the efforts to stop the spreading of the coronavirus.

"The decision to close the park has considered the fact that the increased number of visitors has, at the same time, increased the risk of COVID-19 transmission," he stated.

The park closure, he added, would also protect its workers from being infected with the virus.

Meanwhile the Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said the decision to close GWK Cultural Park is a synergy to curb the COVID-19 transmission.

"Once we can lower the COVID-19 curve, we will give adequate time for them to prepare for reopening (of the tourist destination)," he said.

The minister would work in coordination with Bali Province and Badung District administrations on the closure of GWK Cultural Park.

"I will surely coordinate with the provincial and district governments, because GWK is a popular destination visited by up to 5 thousand tourists per day," Sandiaga Uno said. (Antaranews)