INDONESIA - PAWN BROKING - BI Reminds Sharia Banks on Gold Pawn

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The volatile gold prices and the widespread practices of gold pawning in the banking sector have concerned Bank Indonesia. The central bank has reminded sharia banking to be careful in financing gold pawning. “Basically, it is allowed, but it has to comply with the guidelines,” said Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Halim Alamsyah on Monday.

Many banks suspended their gold pawning services after gold prices declined within the last month. Precious metal price at the PT Aneka Tambang is now only IDR 495,000 per gram after hitting IDR 515,000 per gram. (source)

EVENTS - WIBC - Islamic finance dev't linked to broader economic agenda

BRUNEI'S Islamic finance strategy is linked to a broader economic agenda of "participating in enhanced intra-OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) trade flows", said the Managing Director of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) at a conference on Islamic banking in Singapore yesterday.

Giving a speech at the 2nd Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (Asia Summit) held at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Hj Mohd Rosli Hj Sabtu said, one major area being actively pursued by the Sultanate is in the manufacturing of halal products, "including food and pharmaceutical". (source)

EDUCATION - Islamic banking suffers from shortage of skilled professionals

Singapore - Islamic finance consistent with sharia law was poised to continue its growth, but the industry had to overcome a large dearth of skilled professionals and other challenges to succeed, banking experts warned Wednesday. 

'The fast growth of Islamic financial institutions so far isn't followed by sufficient supply of human resources,' Halim Alamsyah, deputy governor of Bank Indonesia, said in Singapore. (source)

REGULATIONS - BI preparing blueprint for sharia banking

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Bank Indonesia (the central bank/BI) is preparing a blueprint for the development of sharia banks in the country to boost them to grow at a fast and sustainable pace, its deputy governor said.

The blueprint would carry a number of long-term policies to develop sharia banks in the world`s biggest Muslim country from 2011 to 2015, Halim Alamsyah said at a seminar on the sharia banking industry here on Wednesday.

EVENTS - PUBLICATIONS - GIFF 2010 - Presentation Indonesia

by : Halim Alamsyah, Deputy Governor, Bank Indonesia
Recent Development of Islamic Financial Services Industry: Country Case Indonesia