PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Deputy Governor (Wagub) of West Java (Jabar) Erwan Setiawan is optimistic that the Regional Government (Pemda) of West Java Province will be able to maintain its achievement as the overall champion in the 2026 Adinata Syariah Award.

This optimism was expressed while attending the Adinata Syariah Award Data Validation with the Jury in the Education Room of the Al-Jabbar Grand Mosque, Bandung City, Thursday (21/5/2026).

This activity is a follow-up to the letter from the National Committee for Sharia Economics and Finance (KNEKS) regarding the validation of data on regional sharia economic awards at the provincial level.

West Java Province has successfully entered the top three best provinces in regional Islamic economic and financial development.

West Java Deputy Governor Erwan said this achievement is a source of pride and motivation for all stakeholders to continue strengthening the sharia economic ecosystem in West Java.

"It is certainly a source of pride for us that West Java Province is among the top three winners of the 2026 Adinata Syariah Award. Last year, West Java was the overall winner, achieving the best results in various categories," said the Deputy Governor of West Java.

He explained that in 2025, West Java won top awards in nine of the 12 categories competed. This year, the number of categories has increased to 14, requiring all parties to conduct evaluations and improvements to optimize West Java's achievements.

According to Erwan, West Java's success did not come instantly, but rather the result of cross-sector collaboration in building an inclusive and sustainable sharia economy.

"This achievement is not something that came by itself, but the result of collaborative work from all stakeholders, cross-sector synergy, and a commitment to creating a strong and beneficial sharia economic ecosystem for the community," said Erwan.

The number two man in West Java emphasized that the West Java Provincial Government will continue to expand the development of the sharia economy in various sectors, starting from the halal industry, Muslim-friendly tourism, Islamic boarding school education, Sharia banking, to strengthening halal certification.

Deputy Governor Erwan also encouraged the establishment of a sharia-compliant industrial zone in West Java. He noted that the majority of industrial workers in West Java are Muslim, necessitating the support of a sharia-compliant ecosystem, such as adequate prayer facilities, halal food, and other supporting services.

"Because the majority of workers in West Java are Muslim, the sharia industrial ecosystem also needs to be strengthened, starting with places of worship, halal food, and other supporting facilities," he said.

Furthermore, the sports tourism sector must also be part of the sharia ecosystem. For example, the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api (GBLA) stadium, the pride of West Java residents, home to the "Blue Prince" Persib Bandung, can be equipped with adequate prayer facilities for visitors, especially Muslim Bobotoh (Persib supporters).

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the West Java Regional Committee for Sharia Economics and Finance (KDEKS), Diana Sari, emphasized that West Java continues to make improvements even though it had been the overall champion the previous year.

"We're not resting on our laurels after winning the overall championship. We're continuing to strive to ensure that West Java truly deserves this title," said Diana.

He stated that West Java has significant potential as a national center for the Islamic economy, with a Muslim population of approximately 50.4 million. This potential is bolstered by the growth of the halal industry, Muslim-friendly tourism, Islamic finance, and the economic empowerment of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren).

According to Diana, West Java currently has the largest number of halal-certified products in Indonesia. Furthermore, West Java has also achieved various strategic achievements, including being named the best national halal tourism destination in the 2025 Indonesia Muslim Travel Index, the development of 21 KHAS (Halal, Safe, and Healthy Culinary) zones, and the growth of Islamic banking assets, which will reach approximately IDR 105 trillion by 2025.

Not only that, West Java also has 12,977 Islamic boarding schools or around 30.6 percent of the total number of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, which are considered to be a major asset in developing Islamic boarding school-based sharia economics.

"From West Java, we want to prove that sharia economics is not only superior in terms of value, but also has a real impact on people's welfare," said Diana.