Ministry of Cooperatives to Develop Mosque Cooperatives with MES and DMI

The Ministry of Cooperatives is building a collaboration with various parties, including the Islamic Economic Society (MES) and the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI), to develop mosque-based cooperatives in an effort to strengthen the community’s economy. Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono said the initiative also involves the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas), the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and Danantara. According to him, the synergy aims to operate cooperative units within mosque areas so that mosques not only function as places of worship but also have business entities capable of encouraging the economic independence of the community. “Malaysia is also developing mosque cooperatives. President Prabowo wants mosques to not only be places of worship but also to have business entities that make mosques more independent and able to mobilise the potential of the community,” he said during the Inauguration of the West Java MES Regional Board and National Seminar in Bandung, Saturday (25/7). Ferry, who is also the Daily Chair of MES, asked MES regional boards to no longer focus solely on Islamic economic literacy activities but also to engage directly in the development of productive real sectors. He also requested that each regional MES board inventory Muslim entrepreneurs in their respective areas to help open access to capital while strengthening business capacity. Regional MES boards are also expected to become nodes driving the Islamic economy by connecting the government, business actors, academics, Islamic boarding schools, financial institutions, communities, and various other stakeholders. On the occasion, Ferry also touched on the role of the Village/Sub-district Red and White Cooperatives (KDKMP) as an infrastructure for distributing subsidised goods and social assistance at the village level. According to him, strengthening KDKMP with the active involvement of organisations like MES can expand economic equality and open up employment opportunities. Meanwhile, the Assistant for Economy and Development of the West Java Provincial Secretariat, Sumasna, said the regional government hopes MES can take a strategic role as a bridge connecting the government, regulators, business actors, academics, and Islamic boarding schools in developing the Islamic economy. MES West Java Chairman Hari Maksum said the 2024-2029 management will run four priority programmes, namely the MES Perpetual Waqf Fund, green economy development, increasing Islamic economic literacy and inclusion, and community empowerment.