Thekabarnews.com—The Religious Affairs Ministry has announced plans to form a new group called the Public Funds Management Institution (LPDU). The goal is to make the most of the huge but underused potential of religious funds across the country.

Without raising taxes, the project is expected to be a big part of the fight against poverty. It will also help in the improvement of social welfare.

The Religious Affairs Minister, Nasaruddin Umar, said that Indonesia’s religious funds could bring in at least Rp1,000 trillion a year. Proper management could make this possible.

He said that this potential was like a “sleeping giant” that could wake up and make a big difference in the country’s growth.

“We recognize the potential of community religious funds as a dormant force that we must harness for the benefit of society and the nation,” Nasaruddin stated at the conclusion of the 2026 Gebyar Ramadan Keuangan Syariah (GERAK Syariah) event in Jakarta, Thursday, April 2.

The minister said that Indonesia has at least 24 types of religious financial tools. These tools are not yet being professionally and fully managed.

Zakat is still the most well-known type of donation, but there are other types that could be very useful. For example, waqf, infaq, alms (sedekah), fidyah, kifarah, and donations related to hajj are also kinds of donations.

The LPDU that is being planned will not only be for Islamic money. The government wants to work with leaders from other religions, such as Catholics, Protestants, Hindus, Buddhists, and Confucians.

This open-minded approach aims to ensure that more people, regardless of their religion, feel the effects. It does this by setting up a single system for gathering and giving out religious money.

Officials said the group will be honest, open, and smart with the money it gets. The government wants to use these resources wisely to help programs that fight poverty. In addition, they want to help people with social services and build up communities.

The government wants to put the LPDU headquarters in the middle of Jakarta, not far from the Hotel Indonesia area. It would be 40 stories tall. There will be a separate building for the LPDU.

There will be several religious groups in the building that help people with their money. This will help them work together and coordinate across sectors more easily.

This project is a big step toward improving Indonesia’s social finance system. But they also stress how important it is for a program this big to have clear rules, good governance, and public trust.

The LPDU project is part of a bigger plan to help Indonesia find new ways to use community resources. This will help the nation address economic inequality.

If done right, the program could change how religious groups help the country grow. It could do so by turning unused resources into real social change.

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