Gov't to Start Digitize 500 Traditional Markets

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) targeted 500 traditional markets throughout Indonesia to kick off a cashless payment service until this year’s end. The plan is part of the market digitization programs as mandated by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi.

“The market digitization program will start from cashless payment, so the payment will not use physical money, but QR code, e-money, or Go-Pay by Go-Jek,” said Slamet Santoso, the ministry’s acting director of informatics empowerment, when met after a launching event of Go-Jek Wirausaha in South Jakarta, Wednesday, February 20.

Read: Minister Rudiantara Supports Traditional Market Digitalization

According to Slamet, market digitization will be commenced by the installation of electronic data capture machine or EDC in each shop in the markets. After the cashless payment system runs, each market will then have its own digital platform. “So prices of vegetables can be seen per day,” he added.

Transportation and food delivery service company, such as Go-Jek, could then start its Go-Food and Go-Fresh service to deliver foods or other commodities to consumer’s house. “We are still preparing the ecosystem, including the platform,” Slamet noted.

Read: Indonesia Deemed Not Ready for Digital Transformation

He admitted that the program will take a long time and will not be easy because there is an ecosystem that must be changed, such as the mindset of traders and consumers to divert from offline to an online system. “So we have to synergize with Go-Jek and community around markets, [informing] that technology exists to help them gain prosper,” Slamet said.

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