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ICMI supports use of haj fund for infrastructure projects
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Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) chairman Jimly Assiddique (center) during an ethics hearing on April 3. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
T
he Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) has supported the government's initiative to invest some of Rp 96 trillion (US$7.2 billion) of the haj fund in infrastructure projects.
ICMI chairman Jimly Assiddique said infrastructure projects were a safe investment and profitable.
"The government's infrastructure projects are impossible to cause losses, such as the construction of toll roads. It has to be a safe investment, and infrastructure is the safest," the former Constitutional Court chief justice told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Read also: Indonesia aims to have world largest haj fund in 10 years
He also supported the establishment of the Haj Fund Management Agency (BPKH), which has been given the authority to manage the fund.
"The establishment of the BPKH is mandated by the 2014 Haj Law to manage the fund, which had so far been stuck and used for nothing," Jimly added.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated seven supervisors and managers of the BPKH last month, with Yuslam Fausi acting as the head of the supervisors.
With the establishment of the BPKH, the entire haj fund management, previously handled by the Religious Affairs Ministry, was transferred to the agency.
According to the law, one of the agency's duties is to invest the money in five forms of investment, including in banking, gold, securities and direct investment. (yon/bbs)
