UNAIR NEWS – To strengthen the bond of the Islamic Economics Study Group (KSEI) members in East Java, the Forum Silaturahmi Studi Ekonomi Islam (Islamic Economics Studies and Networking – FoSSEI) of East Java held the Regional Scientific Conference FoSSEI 2023. The event was officially held at the Fadjar Notonegoro hall of the Faculty of Economics and Business Dharmawangsa-B Campus, UNAIR, on Friday, July 14, 2023.
Verdian Agus Saputra, the Chief Executive Officer of KSEI AcSES FEB UNAIR 2023, stated that the event aims to enhance knowledge and foster the bond among members of KSEI in East Java.
“There will be a regional discussion. The output includes the issues in Islamic economy, new ideas and recommendations that will be proposed to the related parties,” he said.
Underlining halal product guarantee
Hery Wiriantoro ST MMT, the Head of the Industrial Resource Development Department of East Java who served as the keynote speaker, emphasized the importance of halal product guarantees. One of the current priorities of the Governor of East Java is the equitable distribution of halal-certified products in the food and beverage industry in East Java. “By 2028, it’s going to be mandatory,” he said.
The representative of the Governor of East Java also stated that halal product guarantees can enhance the added value and competitiveness of halal products from Indonesia both domestically and internationally. Thailand and Japan have proclaimed themselves halal tourism destinations in Asia, but Indonesia has not yet done so. Interestingly, both of these countries are not predominantly Muslim countries.
“Meanwhile, Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country with abundant raw materials from various sectors that can also be utilized for the halal industry,” Hery said.
East Java aspires to introduce its halal products to non-Muslim countries. Currently, many non-Muslim countries provide halal food and beverages for Muslim tourists in their countries. He believed this is an opportunity for East Java to promote halal products for export.
“It aims to improve export goods from East Java. Besides, we prepare the local products to compete with other countries,” he said.
Emphasizing the development of Islamic economics
The Vice Governor of East Java Emil Elestianto Dardak, also attended the event on Saturday, July 15, 2023. He expressed his delight in the role of FoSSEI in preparing human resources to develop Islamic economics. He believed Indonesia has great potential to become a center of Islamic economics.
“However, we have not achieved that position yet. We must strive to seize that position by increasing the number of skilled human resources ready to take on that role,” Emil said.
Islamic economics is beyond sharia bank, halal products, and the manufacturing of Muslim equipment. For instance, Islam prohibits speculative and unfair transactions.
He stated that such transaction promotes forms of injustice, regardless of their religion. Therefore, Emil emphasized that being a scholar of Islamic economics is more than developing Islamic economics within the Muslim community.
“Instead, to share the message that Islam and the Quran teach us how to promote a more just and prosperous economy for all people in the spirit of ‘rahmatan lil alamin’ (mercy and blessings for all mankind).”
Author: Muhammad Fachrizal Hamdani
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
