Service Imports Are Still High Compared To Exports, Minister Of Industry: We Have To Find A Strategy

JAKARTA - Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said, based on Trade Map data in 2022, Indonesia imported 43 billion US dollars of service products. Meanwhile, 600 million US dollars of the import value fall into the maintenance and repair services categories.

Meanwhile, the total export of Indonesian service products in the same year reached 23 billion US dollars, of which 370 million US dollars were the maintenance and repair services categories.

"(There is) a gap, yes, 20 billion US dollars. We have to reverse this all, we have to find a strategy not only for the right one, but fast. So, not only fast but fast," said Minister of Industry Agus in his remarks at the Opening of the 2024 Industrial Services Exhibition and Seminar at the Ministry of Industry Building, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 23.

Moreover, said Minister of Industry Agus, in Government Regulation (PP) Number 14 of 2015 concerning the 2015-2035 National Development Master Plan (RIPIN), industrial services are industry supporters in developing the national industry.

"Industrial services have a strategic role, don't play games, here, with their role in industrial services. This is very important, yes, for the growth and development of manufacturing in the country which in turn strengthens our economy," he said.

Agus also gave an example of the role of industrial services in the manufacturing sector of Indonesia, starting from being an enabler for industrial development effectively and efficiently to encouraging the activities of the manufacturing sector to contribute to the National GDP.

"This is an example that can be used as an enabler for industrial development effectively, efficiently, as well as an integrator and comprehensively capable of supporting the activities of the manufacturing sector and other sectors to contribute to the National GDP," said Agus.

He added that the Ministry of Industry has seven targets for industrial service development programs as stated in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 74 of 2022, including the availability of classification of industrial service activities, the involvement of industrial services in the National GDP, the construction of recommendations for the development of priority industrial services and the increasing infrastructure supporting industrial services.

Then, the increasing ability of domestic industrial services to encourage national industries, the increasing competence of human resources for domestic industrial services and the increasing role of industrial services in the global order.

"I hope and want that we can accelerate all the targets of this industrial service development program together," added Agus.