Vice President Gibran Strengthens Access to Modern Retail for MSMEs Products

JAKARTA - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka emphasized the government's commitment to strengthening small and medium enterprises (SMEs), by encouraging increased access to local products to strategic spaces in shopping centers and modern retail networks.

The Vice President made the statement when receiving representatives of the Indonesian Association of Retail and Shopping Center Tenants (Hippindo) at the Vice Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday, February 10.

"Placing local products in locations that are easy to see and accessible to consumers is a concrete step to increase the competitiveness of SMEs in the midst of the dominance of global products," said a statement from the Vice President's Secretariat as quoted by ANTARA.

Chairman of Hippindo, Budihardjo Iduansjah, after the meeting said that the input would be conveyed to members, so that local brands could host in their own country and be given a strategic place, both in malls and in retail stores of Hippindo members.

According to Budihardjo, the Vice President believes that the quality of Indonesian SME products is not inferior to foreign products. However, to accelerate its growth, it requires real support, one of which is through rent margin relief and a more pro-consolidation scheme.

"Facing the challenges of costs and consumptibility, the direction of the Vice President is that the retail sector can provide support, especially for local product suppliers, with lower margins," he said.

In line with strengthening local products, said Budihardjo, the Vice President also appreciated the Buy in Indonesia Aja (BINA) movement.

The program initiated by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs together with Hippindo, APPBI, and Aprindoini is considered capable of encouraging shopping tourism as a source of national foreign exchange.

"Shopping tourism can be one of the backbones of the Indonesian economy. The presence of tourists will bring foreign exchange while also moving the retail and MSME sectors," he said.

On that occasion, Hippindo also invited the Vice President to attend a series of BINA activities ahead of Chinese New Year, Eid al-Fitr, and the Indonesia Retail Summit which will be held in August.

"We hope that the Vice President will be pleased to attend, both at the commemoration of Indonesian Modern Retail Day, the Indonesia Retail Summit, and the series of Shopping in Indonesia Aja during Chinese New Year and Lebaran," said Budihardjo.

This meeting was also attended by the Hippindo Board of Trustees and the Owner of the Indahtex Group & Poshboy Hendra Widjaja; Secretary General of Hippindo and Operations Director of Charles & Keith, Pedro, EA7, Pomelo, Haryanto Pratantara; Chairman of the Investment Committee of Hippindo and Director of JCO Donut & Coffee Charlie Ernawan; and Deputy Chairman of the CSR, UMKM, and Sustainability Committee of Hippindo and Owner of Batik Riana Kusuma, Riana Kusuma.