"The idea to convert a conventional state-owned bank into a syariah bank is a good one. I do not think we have problem with it so that it could be realized soon," State-owned Enterprise (SOE) Minister Dahlan Iskan said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State-owned Enterprise (SOE) Minister Dahlan Iskan said he was ready to convert a state-owned bank from a conventional bank to a syariah (Islamic-based) bank.

"The idea to convert a conventional state-owned bank into a syariah bank is a good one. I do not think we have problem with it so that it could be realized soon," the minister said after having a SOE leadership meeting at state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina`s building here on Tuesday.

He said that his ministry was now forming a team to study the possibility of converting a conventional state-owned bank into a syariah bank.

Dahlan explained that so far some state-owned banks already had syariah services such as Syariah Mandiri, BRI Syariah and BNI Syariah but all this was limited to a business branch only.

"We want to have a state-owned Bank Syariah which is a pristine syariah bank," the minister said.

Earlier, the National Syariah Council, Bank Indonesia and a number of economists have suggested that the government convert one of its conventional state-owned banks into a syariah bank which fully focuses on syariah bank business.

The choice for the conversion can fall on the state-owned Bank BRI or Bank BTN so that it would later 100 percent become a syariah bank, no longer a conventional bank.

The conversion of a conventional state-owned bank into a state-owned Bank Syariah will have significant impact on the syariah market ceiling in the country.

Dahlan said he had directly heard various inputs from the assessment team which was tasked to study the establishment of a state-owned Bank Syariah. The assessment is expected to be completed in the coming three months.

"In essence, a state-owned Bank Syariah must be established. There should be a state-owned syariah bank which serves as a leader which is strong and has the capacity," the minister said.

However, Dahlan did not give further details which state-bank would be converted into a syariah bank.

"Well, let`s wait the team`s recommendations. Of course the recommendations should also be submitted to Bank Indonesia and the finance minister as an input," Minister Dahlan said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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