VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama Kusubandio. ANTARA/HO-Press Bureau of the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry/Hanni Sofia/am/sh

 Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama Kusubandio shed light on the various challenges facing micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the creative industry to penetrate the global market.

"(The challenges) pertain to logistics, documentation and administration, and high export-fees. The creative industry is dominated by MSMEs, and not all of them understand the process to export," Kusubandio stated during the Indonesia Creative Works 2020 Exhibition in Jakarta on Friday.

Other problems faced by MSMEs are the limited production capacity, lack of production machinery, and market information for their products, coupled with their lack of confidence in entering the export market.

"They do not have the digital marketing ability or e-commerce platform for exports and consequently have to bear high costs," Kusubandio stated.

Several operators in the creative industry have encountered difficulties in obtaining raw materials during the imposition of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) since some of the basic materials were imported.

"The enforcement of PSBB has disrupted the distribution of logistics, and this has increased the delivery time," he stated.

On the other hand, the industry's revenue has declined with the drop in consumer demand, while capital loans cannot be easily accessed.

In its efforts to solve the problems, he affirmed that the ministry had selected some MSMEs to partake in the online promotion to the international market and had created a special directory of creative products to be distributed to all Indonesian representatives abroad.

The ministry has also worked closely with all stakeholders to provide stimulus and capital loans to creative industries and had cooperated with the market place.

Kusubandio believes that the industry should derive the necessary momentum presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate the digitalization process using the e-commerce platform.

In May 2020, the government had launched the national campaign, bearing the hashtag #BanggaBuatanIndonesia (Proud of the Indonesian Products), to promote products made in Indonesia.

Since the launch of the campaign, as of August 15, some 1.6 million MSMEs have entered the digital ecosystem.

Based on data of the Cooperatives and SME Ministry, the number of MSMEs in 2018 had reached 64 million, of which only 13 percent, or some eight million, have been digitalized. (ANTARA)

 President Joko Widodo has appealed to micro and small businessmen in the Special Province of Yogyakarta not to give up running their businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Under these current circumstances, (businesses) should stay motivated and work hard. That is the key," he said while handing out productive presidential assistance to micro businesses at the Yogyakarta Presidential Palace in Yogyakarta on Friday.

The difficult situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected not only Indonesian businessmen, but also businessmen from 215 rich, developing, poor, and small countries in the world, he pointed out.

"Businessmen all over the world, including micro-, medium-, and large-scale businesses are facing a difficult situation," he remarked.

To limit the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has offered several stimuli ranging from direct cash assistance, cash social assistance, electricity subsidy, interest subsidy, basic necessities, salary subsidy, to productive presidential assistance, he noted.

The President reiterated his request to the public to remain optimistic, saying the difficult situation would soon return to normal, particularly once a COVID-19 vaccine is produced and administered.

He said the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia is targeted to begin in January 2021.

"(Last week) the state-owned enterprises minister visited the United Arab Emirates and China. We have secured the vaccine (in the form of) raw material or finished goods. Some 215 countries are competing (to secure the vaccine)," he noted.

The President also symbolically handed productive presidential assistance worth Rp2.4 million to each of dozens of micro-business owners in Yogyakarta.

The government aims to distribute similar assistance to an estimated 12 million micro and small businesses across the country by September, 2020.  (ANTARA)

 President Joko Widodo has appealed to micro and small businessmen in the Special Province of Yogyakarta not to give up running their businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Under these current circumstances, (businesses) should stay motivated and work hard. That is the key," he said while handing out productive presidential assistance to micro businesses at the Yogyakarta Presidential Palace here on Friday.

The difficult situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected not only Indonesian businessmen, but also businessmen from 215 rich, developing, poor, and small countries in the world, he pointed out.

"Businessmen all over the world, including micro-, medium-, and large-scale businesses are facing a difficult situation," he remarked.

To limit the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has offered several stimuli ranging from direct cash assistance, cash social assistance, electricity subsidy, interest subsidy, basic necessities, salary subsidy, to productive presidential assistance, he noted.

The President reiterated his request to the public to remain optimistic, saying the difficult situation would soon return to normal, particularly once a COVID-19 vaccine is produced and administered.

He said the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia is targeted to begin in January, 2021.

"(Last week) the state-owned enterprises minister visited the United Arab Emirates and China. We have secured the vaccine (in the form of) raw material or finished goods. Some 215 countries are competing (to secure the vaccine)," he noted.

The President also symbolically handed productive presidential assistance worth Rp2.4 million to each of dozens of micro-business owners in Yogyakarta.

The government aims to distribute similar assistance to an estimated 12 million micro and small businesses across the country by September, 2020.  

Indonesia, through the COVID-19 task force, is ensuring that the implementation of public health measures continues even as it strives to partner with other nations, including China and UAE, to procure coronavirus vaccines.

Responding to a question regarding the focus of the Indonesian government in handling COVID-19, spokesperson for the task force, Professor Wiku Adisasmito, said that at the moment, Indonesia is making serious efforts to procure vaccines for its considerably large population.

"All countries in the world are in a race to get vaccines, including Indonesia, and we are trying to get the access because we have a big population and we want to make sure that the vaccines that are being developed in the various parts of the world are accessible for the Indonesian public," he said at an online press conference with international media representatives, broadcast from Jakarta on Friday.

For that reason, the Indonesian government is actively approaching several countries for vaccine deals, he added.

Indonesia has already entered into collaborations with China’s Sinovac and the UAE's G42 for COVID-19 vaccines.

However, Wiku emphasized that the government's serious efforts to procure vaccines for the public do not mean that it is turning away from the implementation of public health measures, as it is aware of the fact that vaccines are not necessarily the answer to the pandemic.

"We understand that preventive measures are the best approach to really deal with the virus, therefore, public health approaches have been implemented in Indonesia," he said, adding that one of the main health programs launched by the government for this purpose is the 'Behaviour Change' campaign.

"We want to make sure that in the months before we get the vaccines, behavior change can prevent the public from being infected by the virus," he continued.

Aside from educational campaigns and strict health protocols, Wiku also highlighted monitoring measures applied in the country, including how the government is handling testing, tracing, and treatments in every province, district, and city, to explain how Indonesia is ensuring attention is accorded to public health measures.  (ANTARA)

Jakarta (VOI News) - Minister of Technology Research/Head of the National Innovation Research Agency, Bambang Brodjonegoro in Jakarta on Friday, August 28 encouraged the development of scientific research that can accommodate the progress and challenges of the times.

Speaking after attending the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Sarwono Prawirohardjo Memorial Lecture XX, (twenty), Bambang explained that all research institutions in Indonesia must be able to adapt to the times.

Apart from being supported by strong basic research, Bambang said the current progress demands the birth of innovation which must also adopt the 4th industrial revolution (4.0), especially digital transformation.

"So, like it or not, all research institutions must continuously carry out transformations internally and also keep on the very dynamic developments in science and technology. If we look at the history of the development of science, those who are in front of it are always those who are the inventors of something," said Bambang Brodjonegoro.

Furthermore, Bambang also explained that the need for research in the field of science has an important meaning in creating the progress of civilization.

To create a better community life, Bambang also encouraged all research institutions to participate in facilitating researchers to innovate in the field of science.

It is expected that this innovation will bring about changes that have a direct impact on society. (VOI/Andy edit-mar/trans:AF).