TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir said that he expected Sarinah department store to be the center of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Threfore, he pinned hope the country’s first shopping mall could synergize with state lender Bank Rakyat Indonesia or BRI.

"If the business runs well, Sarinah can open outlets at airports that have become central tourist destinations, such as Bali, Labuan Bajo, and others," said Erick at the SMEs Export BRIlianpreneur 2019 even on Friday, December 20, 2019.

According to Erick, the partnership could be in the form of, among others, credit financing and training for SME entrepreneurs. BRI and Sarinah, Erick added, could also cooperate with the Cooperatives Minister and the SME Ministry.

Earlier, the Cooperative Minister and SMEs Minister Teten Masduki and Erick Thohir discussed a concept to convert Sarinah into a shopping mall only for local micro and small business products in the domestic market

As quoted from Sarinah website, the state-owned firm was established on August 17, 1962, under the name of Department Store Indonesia, and was officially opened for public on August 15, 1966.

The department store was initiated by the first Indonesian President Soekarno to facilitate retail trade activities and was expected to be a driving force for the country's economy.

Throughout its existence, Sarinah maintains its commitment to promote domestic creative products and support SMEs. On April 10, 1979, the company name was changed into Sarinah.

DIAS PRASONGKO