We expect MUFEST (Muslim Fashion Festival)  to consistently become the largest strategic stage
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President KH Ma'ruf Amin echoed his support for the Indonesia Fashion Chamber (IFC) through the MUFEST Program that is expected to drive Indonesia to serve as center of Muslim fashion in the world.

"We expect MUFEST (Muslim Fashion Festival) to consistently become the largest strategic stage. Through MUFEST, the economy and sharia finance are expected to receive a boost from the fashion sector and proffer myriad benefits to the industries that follow it," the Vice President noted in his statement as quoted on Thursday.

Amin opined that this aligned with Presidential Decree 28 of 2020 on the National Committee for Sharia Economics & Finance (KNEKS). Development of the Muslim fashion industry is a potential sector in making Indonesia a center for global Halal products.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of various ministries collaborating in the national Muslim fashion industry development program.

Amin noted that the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Ministry was among the ministries that was currently facilitating the fashion ecosystem, addressing issues of raw materials, micro loans (KUR) disbursement for MSME, mentoring, and focusing on market access and logistics aspects.

On the other hand, the Industry Ministry is activating halal industrial areas and halal zones, through efforts of the Trade Ministry that has opened export markets, among others, with Islamic countries in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Amin also welcomed IFC's idea to develop Indonesian Muslim fashion in the education sector by including fashion as part of the educational curriculum.

The vice president spoke of his intent to get in touch with the Association of Islamic Economists (IAEI), as a government support institution, to follow up on the notion.

"We will communicate this later with the IAEI, so that what we have been working on so far (rebuilding the economy) will not only be implemented by experts in the financial sector but also in the fashion sector. I totally agree," he affirmed.

Indonesia is targeted as a center for halal products and the world's sharia economy by 2024.

Development of the halal industry in various sectors is deemed necessary, including the Muslim fashion sector, which has presented greater opportunities in global and domestic markets. Hence, the government encourages the national Muslim fashion industry to become the best.

Various strategic and consistent integrated promotional efforts are deemed necessary in order to help Indonesia become a center for Muslim fashion in the world.

The IFC remains committed to making these efforts through tangible and sustainable programs that will advance the Indonesian Muslim fashion industry and add competitive value in the international market. To this end, MUFEST is one of the efforts being made.

"The support of human resources, research, and business as well as ethical reasoning in the business world have driven demand for the world market today. To this end, the Islamic economy becomes a relevant foundation for the Indonesian Muslim fashion industry ecosystem. Muslim fashion is one of the sustainable products or halal fashion with global potential," IFC National Chairman Ali Charisma affirmed.

"We hope to also expand Indonesian education by perhaps providing a curriculum that is specifically for modest fashion in educational institutions that have fashion majors. We believe that the foundation is very important for success," Charisma concluded.

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Translator: Arnidya Nur Z, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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