Kadin Munaslub Confirmed No Intervention From The Government

Anindya Bakrie. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Extraordinary National Conference (Munaslub) of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) which was held on September 14, 2024 in Jakarta is confirmed that there will be no intervention from the government.

"There is no government initiative in the Munaslub. All are purely from the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry and associations as extraordinary members," said Chairman of the Indonesian Women Entrepreneurs Association (Iwapi) Nita Yudi who is also Secretary of the Advisory Council of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, September 21.

He said the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Munaslub was held based on previous input and an official request letter from the general chairman of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"The congress was then carried out because the Kadin Advisory Council must be able to facilitate and carry out the requested Munaslub," he said.

Meanwhile, the Daily Chair of the Widiyanto Saputro National Entrepreneurs Network said that the implementation of the munaslub was not an initiative of the elected general chairman Anindya Bakrie and there was also no request or direction from the entrepreneur who is familiarly called Anin.

According to Widiyanto, all processes leading to the munaslub are handled by members. In addition, the organizers of the munaslub are members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He explained that over the past few months, entrepreneurs who are members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and associations as extraordinary members want Kadin, which is an entrepreneurial organization, to be in line with the programs run by the government.

The National Entrepreneurs Network then communicated intensively with many friends at Kadin starting last July 2024, after since the end of 2023 there has been a voice of concern about the position of Kadin which is considered far from the government.

He revealed that since the presidential election campaign period (pilpres,) a number of Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry administrators began to feel they were no longer invited to coordinate with the regional government (Pemda).

"If the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry holds an event in an effort to increase the capacity of local entrepreneurs, the local government is also not willing to attend because they do not dare or are worried that they are considered to side with one of the presidential candidate pairs," he said.

This is because Arsjad Rasjid, who is the General Chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chose to be the Chair of the National Winning Team (TPN) for presidential and vice presidential candidates Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud Md.

The reason, continued Widiyanto, local government officials as state civil servants (ASN) must indeed remain neutral. Meanwhile, at that time, the Kadin management had declared their side to one of the presidential candidate pairs so that Kadin was wary of because it was perceived as not neutral.

"The relationship between Kadin, which should be a partner of the government in economic development, has turned awkward," said Widiyanto.

Another problem at that time, said Widiyanto, was that Kadin was passive in voicing the interests of the industry and the business world in general. For example, when there was a problem with Permendag Number 36 of 2023 concerning Import Policy and Regulation, Kadin at that time did not speak up.

In fact, he said, so many associations tried to convey that Permendag Number 36 of 2023 was problematic and in the end, other associations took the initiative, namely the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo).

Likewise, when the price of gas became a concern for national ceramic business actors, Kadin at that time did not take a role in mediating with the government.

"As a result, associations must finally take their own steps in responding to the challenges they face," he said.

The association administrators finally gathered and emphasized that Kadin members would not be able to be helped if they did not have a frequency with the government.

"His condition is dangerous, because if Kadin cannot have a frequency with the government, it will be left behind in many ways so that the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry and outside members can ask for a munaslub," said Widiyanto.