TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said there are at least three steps required to develop micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). She delivered the statement during her speech at the 12th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) that opened Tuesday, August 2.
The first is to emphasize on the importance of cooperation between the government as the policymaker and the MSMEs. "We hope that decentralization can provide MSMEs with an opportunity to grow and help turn the wheels of the economy," she said at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) today.
Strengthening the MSME sector, Sri said, is paramount to allow the industry becomes a buffer when the economy experiences turbulences. She also emphasized on the importance of culture-swapping to encourage the younger generation to develop businesses. "Businesses that are pushed by people and supported by technology innovations can cut funding," she said.
The second step is for the government and the private sector to support technology innovations, and the third is to turn discussion results into real actions.
Sri said Indonesia has the advantage of having a high number of productive citizens to develop the MSME sector. "Indonesia's demographic profile can encourage sustainable development," she said.
Sri hopes that the 12th WIFE can make Indonesia one of the world's top players in the Islamic finance and halal food industries.
She hopes the forum can deliver new ideas from business players and allow startups and MSMEs to meet investors. For the next three days, the forum will have discussions between economic players to negotiate and empower one another.
GHOIDA RAHMAH
