"He is highly concerned about it and is trying to find a solution," Chief of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) KH Ma`ruf Amin said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has expressed concern about the economic gap between the low-income people and the high-income people.
"He is highly concerned about it and is trying to find a solution," Chief of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) KH Maruf Amin said at the Presidential Palace compounds here, Thursday.
Maruf confirmed that he had come to the palace at the invitation of President Jokowi to discuss a wide range of national and state issues.
"In this respect, ulemas must also take part in the efforts to keep the nation intact and contribute to promoting the nation," he noted.
One of the solutions President Jokowi has proposed is redistributing state assets so that the assets, particularly land, is not merely controlled by business tycoons, he stated.
"(The assets) must be redistributed, particularly those which are not managed properly. They can be managed through cooperatives, Islamic boarding schools and various institutions," he mentioned.
The president fears that if individuals control many plots they will resell them (for profit), he revealed.
Another other solution is partnership; it is needed to avoid a conflict between the haves and the have nots, he asserted.
"If a conflict happens, the stronger will win and the weaker will lose. He wants partnership between conglomerates and weak economic players, so that they will help each other and there will be no anger on the part of the low-income people and there will be no social jealousy," he remarked.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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