NTB Governor Pushes for Involvement of Local SMEs in National Sharia Rural Bank Coordination Meeting

Mataram (ANTARA) - The Governor of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, is encouraging the involvement of local micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) in the National Coordination Meeting of the All-Indonesia Sharia Rural Banks Association (Rakornas Himbarsi), which will be held in Mataram in 2026. Iqbal welcomed the plan positively and stated the provincial government’s commitment to providing full support for the implementation of this national-scale event. “We welcome and strongly support the holding of the Rakornas BPR Syariah in Lombok. This is an important momentum to strengthen the role of the sharia economy while promoting the region to the national level,” he said in a written statement in Mataram on Friday. He emphasised that the NTB Provincial Government is ready to provide support, both in terms of facilities and cross-sectoral collaboration, including encouraging the involvement of UMKM actors in the series of activities. Meanwhile, Ivan Eroka Yuliadji, Chairman of the Rakornas Organising Committee and also Director of BPR Syariah Tulen Amanah, said the event will be attended by around 174 sharia rural banks from across Indonesia. “Insha Allah, 174 sharia rural banks from all over Indonesia will fill Lombok,” he said. The series of activities will begin on 19 April 2026 with the organisation of the UMKM Fest centred in the Car Free Day area of Jalan Udayana, Mataram City. The event will involve local business actors and the general public.