Minister of Cooperatives Says Sharia Economic Ecosystem Must Be a Collaborative Movement

He made the statement during his speech at the Sharia Economic Leaders Forum (SELF) 2026 in Jakarta on Sunday (24 May 2026). This year’s forum is themed ‘Sharia Economy Beyond Finance: Orchestrating Local Leadership and Halal Industry for Accelerating Indonesia’s Sharia Economic Ecosystem’.

‘Sharia economy must be an inclusive collaborative movement bringing together government, regulators, business actors, academics, communities, and civil society in a unified effort,’ Ferry said in a written statement on Monday (25 May 2026).

The event was attended by key elements of the national Sharia ecosystem, from regional government officials and academics to halal industry players. Their presence underscores a collective commitment to strengthening the foundation and expanding the reach of Sharia economics from upstream to downstream.

During the event, Ferry outlined concrete steps the government, through the Ministry of Cooperatives (Kemenkop), will take. The ministry will fully collaborate with the Islamic Economic Society (MES) and relevant parties to drive growth in the real sector, particularly for cooperatives.

He explained that Kemenkop will focus on strengthening productive financing to expand access for halal cooperatives and SMEs. Additionally, the ministry is committed to fostering new production cooperatives based on specific halal industry potential in each region.

‘We are also developing modern cooperative business models. These are designed not only to ensure Sharia compliance but must also integrate digital technology and penetrate global marketing networks,’ he concluded.