REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The National Committee for Sharia Economics and Finance (KNEKS) held a coordination meeting (Rakor) with the Association of Sharia People's Economic Bank (BPRS) of Indonesia (HIMBARSI) on Thursday (26/2/2025).
HIMBARSI is an association of BPRS formerly named ASBISINDO Compartment BPRS. From the KNEKS side, Bagus Aryo was present as Deputy Director of the Syariah Micro Finance Institution (LKMS) KNEKS along with several analysts.
While from HIMBARSI, Alfi Wijaya was present as chairman and HIMBARSI management team. Rakor wants BPRS to be able to reach more MSME businesses.
Because, until now, there are still many SMEs that have not been served by banking and other formal financial institutions.
In March 2024, Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki mentioned that MSMEs underserved by financial services institutions reached 47 percent. Thus, if in 2023 there are 66 million SMEs, then underserved SMEs amount to 31.02 million.
On this occasion, Bagus Aryo is grateful that now the sharia economy has been included in the National Long Term Development Plan (RPJPN) and the National Medium-Term Development Plan of RPJMN.
Currently, KNEKS is finalizing the Indonesian Sharia Economy and Finance Master Plan (MEKSI), which is the details of RPJMN specifically for Sharia economy and finance.
“In MEKSI, a strategic plan has been drawn up so that BPRS can be optimal in serving MSMEs,” Bagus said as quoted on Thursday (27/2/2025). He added that there are a number of programs designed to realize the optimal role of BPRS in serving SMEs.
Among them, apex for BPRS, joint digital product development, and BPRS cooperation with the Ministry of SMEs for example in the business matching program. Alfi Wijaya welcomed the KNEKS program for BPRS and it was aligned with BPRS aspirations.
In fact, said Alfi, some of them started pioneering BPRS coordinated by HIMBARSI. For digital-based joint products have begun to be pioneered by HIMBARSI, namely with the existence of Shared savings between HIMBARSI members, named Ukhuwah Tabungan.
HIMBARSI divided the implementation of the program into four stages. The first stage, the presence of an operational standard of procedure (SOP) and the name of the same savings product. The second phase is currently a prize funded jointly by HIMBARSI members.
As for digital savings, it is already the fourth stage. To reach the fourth stage, BPRS requires the support of a license affirmation for BPRS.
In addition to being connected with the Ministry of SMEs, Alfi explained that HIMBARSI needs to be connected also with some other ministries or agencies. For example with the Ministry of Interior so that BPRS has access to population data.
Another form of facilitation is to connect the Regional Manager (PW) of HIMBARSI with the Regional Committee for Sharia Economy and Finance (KDEKS) in order to be able to synergize for the development of sharia economy and finance in their respective regions.
With these programs, KNEKS and HIMBARSI believe that more MSMEs can facilitate BPRS. Thus, BPRS as the best friend of MSMEs is not only a slogan but really a reality.
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