Government Opens Opportunities for Cooperation on Waste Processing Projects with NU
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the government is opening up opportunities for cooperation with the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) on projects to process waste into economically valuable products.
He cited a number of products that could be derived from processed waste, such as fertiliser, building materials, and even Printed Circuit Boards (PCB).
“Earlier we discussed with several NU officials, and there are several NU projects that the government could potentially support because their aims are good, one of them being processing waste into fertiliser to improve soil health, as well as into building materials or boards for electrical use,” Purbaya said after meeting PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf, familiarly known as Gus Yahya, in Jakarta on Wednesday.
According to him, such projects could have a broader impact if they receive government support and forge cooperation with other countries.
“What is clear is that it would be good to cooperate with another country, abroad. So if the government can assist, I think that would be great and the projects could run more smoothly,” he said.
During the audience, Gus Yahya consulted Finance Minister Purbaya about PBNU’s business investment prospects with various international entities.
“As for the investment ideas, we will study them. If they can proceed in line with existing patterns and the risks are controlled, we will support what NU is initiating,” Purbaya said.
Meanwhile, Gus Yahya said the meeting also discussed the potential for cooperation on other national agendas.
“We discussed many things, the essence of which is, first, that NU has an organisational network structure that we can offer as a channel to deliver the government’s national agendas to the public,” Gus Yahya said.
He revealed that collaboration between PBNU and the Indonesian government had been under way since late 2022, with measurable results, including through programmes such as the Gerakan Keluarga Maslahat (Beneficial Family Movement).
“We consulted the Finance Minister about regulations, the channels we need to access, and the norms that must be followed with regard to investment,” he said.
Gus Yahya stressed that everything PBNU does in this regard is for the benefit of the community and the nation.
“Alhamdulillah, the Minister was open to helping NU in this matter, because in everything NU does, there is no purpose other than to help the state and society,” the PBNU Chairman said.
Gus Yahya expressed hope that this would be welcomed positively through various government initiatives to improve public welfare.