VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Investments in research and innovation are able to bring Indonesian people to become developed country. Because research and innovation can create innovative ideas that are connected with the business and industrial world and provide benefits to the community. In the end, this increases the competitiveness of the national economy. When chairing a Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Research and Innovation Development Strategy and the Arrangement of the National Research and Innovation Agency at State Palace in Jakarta, Wednesday (11/12), President Joko Widodo expressed his hope that the research and innovation agenda would be focused on efforts to advance the nation's progress. He considered that the government must have a big strategy in encouraging the development of research and innovation with adequate budget.

"The focus of research must be truly directed. It must begin to be brought to the same framework, namely how to take our country out of the middle income trap towards developed country. Therefore, we must choose the research agenda that is prioritized, which is agreed to have a significant impact on the progress of our country," said President Joko Widodo.

Furthermore, President Joko Widodo also encouraged the strengthening of ecosystems so that research and innovation could develop. This strengthening includes aspects of regulation, human resources, research and innovation institutions and incentive systems. He added that the government is committed to increasing the budget of research and innovation. (VOI/Ndy)

President Joko Widodo re-emphasized the importance of reducing import figures in a bid to maintain positive economic growth. When opening a Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Acceleration of the Implementation of the Industry and Trade Program at the State Palace in Jakarta, Wednesday (11/12), he highlighted the high number of imports of raw materials and auxiliary raw materials reaching more than 70 percent. Data from the Central Statistics Agency shows that imports of raw materials and auxiliary raw materials reached 74.06 percent of the total imports for the period January to October 2019. Meanwhile, imports of goods and imports of consumer goods reached 16.65 percent and 9.29 percent respectively. Of this figure, the type of raw material with the highest number of imports is steel, reaching US$ 8.6 billion dollars. Meanwhile, the organic or petrochemical chemical industry reached US$ 4.9 billion dollars. Thus, President Joko Widodo hopes that his aides will open up investment opportunities, especially for the substitute goods industry.

“ Moving on from the data, I ask for investment opportunities, please underline this, the import substitution industry must be wide open. That means that steel, chemical or petrochemical industries must really be opened. Becausethis is an import substitution. This should be noted by BKPM (Investment Coordinating Board). So, the notes are Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment," said Joko Widodo.

Furthermore, President Joko Widodo also asked his aides to take concrete steps to encourage the growth of the processing industry, petrochemicals, including the acceleration of the mandatory biodiesel B30. He emphasized that the growth of the manufacturing industry not only produces imported substitutes, but also opens up huge employment for the community. In addition, President Joko Widodo also called for an increase in the campaign for the use of domestic industrial products, including the optimization of the Domestic Component Level in government projects so that import figures can be suppressed. (VOI/Ndy)

resident Joko Widodo delivered his speech at the meeting of the national team on acceleration of regional financial access (TPAKD) in Jakarta on Tuesday (Dec 10, 2019). ANTARA

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has put his weight behind improving financial literacy and inclusion among Indonesians to access banking services to drive micro economic growth.

"This is crucial since from here we can improve the family's economy, our micro economy," Jokowi remarked during a coordination meeting of the national team on acceleration of regional financial access (TPAKD) in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The head of state is upbeat about the Financial Services Authority (OJK) improving financial literacy and inclusion through the formation of the TPAKD to encourage the people to put their money in banks as savings and seek loans from financial institutions.

"We want all regions to encourage people to access financial services. We have to accelerate this," Jokowi affirmed.

Head of the OJK Board of Commissioners Wimboh Santoso remarked that the agency closely collaborated with the government to step up access to financial services for people through the role of TPAKD and the development of Micro Endowments Bank (BWM).

"Efforts to improve access to financial services has become OJK's priority along with Bank Indonesia and the local as well as central governments, as financial access has been closely linked to the development of public welfare and funding for national economic development," Santoso remarked.

Increased access to financial services will boost investment and public savings in banks that will further increase loan disbursement to support economic activities.

"Establishment of the TPAKD is expected to support the government's priority programs, especially in the development of new economic centers in regions, such as the export-oriented industry and tourism industry," he stated.

Until November 2019, the government had set up 164 TPAKD at the provincial and district levels that implemented various programs to improve access to financial services.

As of October 2019, the disbursement of micro loans (KUR) had reached Rp127.3 trillion, or 90.9 percent of its targeted Rp140 trillion for 2019; some Rp31.9 trillion of loans in the fishery sector under the Jaring Program; while the Laku Pandai Program had collected Rp2.21 trillion of public savings from 25.8 million people across the country.

The Simpel Program accrued Rp8.76 trillion of public savings from 21.6 million students in 350 thousand schools. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo speaking during a meeting themed "Economic Strengthening Acceleration in the Agriculture and Fisheries Sector" at the Presidential Office in Jakarta, Tuesday (10/12/2019).(ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) drew attention to three areas to enable the agriculture and fisheries sectors to drive Indonesia's economic growth.

"Firstly, our attention had only been focused on the efforts to increase agriculture and fisheries products at the 'on farm' level. We never touch the 'off farm', especially the post-production side," he remarked at the Presidential Offices in Jakarta, Tuesday.

President Jokowi made the statement during a meeting themed "Economic Strengthening Acceleration in the Agriculture and Fisheries Sector," in which the attendees also comprised Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and cabinet ministers.

The president expressed belief that farmers and fishermen should go beyond on-farm activities to off farm through providing added value to farming and fisheries activities by processing their products as well as developing agriculture and fisheries-based businesses.

"Secondly, in order to get to the off farm activities, farmers and fishermen need financing schemes and coaching," he pointed out.

In terms of financial schemes, the government has already established a people's business credit scheme (KUR) wherein the budget ceiling will be Rp190 trillion in 2020, with a six-percent interest.

"I have ordered the KUR to be designed with special schemes per cluster, so that it meets the needs of the grace period for the production of agricultural and fisheries clusters," he stated.



However, he highlighted that financing schemes must be followed by coaching for adequate financial management along with preparing good packaging and branding as well as sound marketing.

"Thirdly, we must start encouraging our micro, small, medium businesses; our farmers; our fishermen, who have been moving on small-scale economies to join in and collaborate with large groups or corporations, so that they have a larger economic scale," he remarked.

Thus, farmers and fishermen can be more effective in obtaining raw materials, accessing working capital and investment, and making efforts to market their products, so they can enter the national and global supply chain.

The three notes were highlighted by President Jokowi taking into account that the fisheries sector has an important and strategic role in improving the welfare of Indonesians.

"I see fisheries and agriculture as very important and strategic sectors. This is not only because they provide food for more than 260 million Indonesians but also since they are able to accommodate a large workforce and contribute significantly to improving the people's welfare and reducing poverty," he stated.

Hence, he called for breakthrough steps for the two sectors for broader growth and becoming a driving force of the nation’s economy. (ANTARA)