"I believe mosques should be recognized as national strategic assets. Mosques offer social capital, serving as places where the people grow. However, I have not found any mosque with national strategic asset status," Baznas' Head of Distribution and Utilization Saidah Sakwan remarked.
Speaking at a national discussion and workshop on mosques in Jakarta on Tuesday, Sakwan emphasized the importance of the state exerting greater efforts to help mosques develop and thrive not only as houses of worship but also as platforms for public enlightenment.
"By flagging mosques as national strategic assets, we can demonstrate the government's genuine support for their activities," she remarked.
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She noted that Indonesia has around 306,217 mosques, all of which deserve financial support from the government to strengthen their role in developing human capital. She also emphasized the need to increase the allocation of the State Budget (APBN) for mosques.
"I am not sure how much of the APBN is allocated to mosques. As far as I know, a mosque typically receives only between Rp5 million and Rp10 million (US$615)," she stated.
In this context, Sakwan expressed confidence that granting national strategic asset status would give mosques more space to contribute meaningfully to social and educational development.
"It is important for the state to pay closer attention to mosques," she reiterated.
Scheduled to continue through Wednesday (July 9), the national mosque discussion and workshop features a series of talk sessions.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has stated that the event is expected to empower mosques to play a central role in the efforts to build a prosperous and harmonious society.
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Translator: Tri M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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