| | MARCH 20268IN FOCUSThe Indonesian government has emphasized the importance of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as a vital economic support system for families, committing to enhancing the sector through increased market opportunities and improved business infrastructure for small business owners.Muhaimin Iskandar, the Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, acknowledged that operators of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those led by housewives and families, have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of numerous economic challenges.The government is promoting the utilization of public facilities owned by the state in order to facili-tate the growth of MSME businesses and to support promotional activities in the sector."We encourage all government-owned public fa-cilities to provide broader access for MSMEs, espe-cially businesses run by housewives," Muhaimin said.An effort focused on advancing MSME goods in-volves the organization of the "Jejak Jajanan Nusan-tara" food bazaar festival. This event adopts a mar-ket concept inspired by the tales of "1001 Nights" to highlight traditional Indonesian snacks and products from small businesses.The annual festival is scheduled to be held from March 6-8 at the Selatan Barat parking area of the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Ja-karta. Participating in the event will be over 40 care-fully selected MSME stalls, showcasing a diverse range of traditional cuisine, handicrafts, and hosting workshops on business development.Muhaimin stated that the government is com-mitted to establishing fresh economic opportunities for small enterprises by organizing events aimed at broadening their clientele and enhancing brand rec-ognition."Similar events are expected to be held in various regions across Indonesia, from Sumatra and Java to eastern areas such as Papua, so that more MSME ac-tors can benefit," he said.Previously, the Minister for MSMEs, Maman Ab-durrahman, stated that the primary obstacle con-fronting Indonesia's MSME industry is no longer the quantity of enterprises, but rather enhancing prod-uct quality to boost competitiveness."We need MSMEs that can innovate and compete in regional and global markets," he said, stressing the importance of upgrading product standards, branding and marketing capacity.The government considers MSMEs to be a vital component of the Indonesian economy, providing employment for a significant number of workers and contributing to the maintenance of household incomes nationwide. INDONESIA BOOSTS MSMES WITH MARKET ACCESS INITIATIVESHe emphasized that small enterprises are in need of more than just financial assistance; they also need enhanced market access to directly connect their products with consumers
< Page 7 | Page 9 >