Deputy Head Of Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Of Conglomerate Subordinates, Agus Lasmono Sudwikatmono, Discusses The Importance Of Vaccination And Prohibition Of Homecoming

Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for National Entrepreneur Development, Arsjad Rasjid. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for National Entrepreneur Development, Arsjad Rasjid, stated that the implementation of the comprehensive COVID-19 vaccination is the main key to restoring the economy in the country.

"If vaccination is not comprehensive, it will be difficult for us because the economic wheels are still running so much. This is where the government works hard from vaccination," said Arsjad Rasjid during a gathering and breaking the fast with the DIY Chamber of Commerce in Yogyakarta, quoted from Antara, Monday, April 19. .

According to the President Director of PT Indika Energy Tbk, in the midst of a pandemic situation that has never been predicted before, restarting the economy must go hand in hand with efforts to restore health.

Because of that regarding the policy to prohibit the 2021 Lebaran homecoming, Arsjad, who is also a candidate for Chairman of Kadin for the 2021-2026 period, admits that he agrees with the government.

According to him, the opening of the homecoming activity actually has the opportunity to increase again the cases of COVID-19 transmission amidst the vaccination efforts that are currently being intensified.

"I said we have to make sacrifices first, be patient first because vaccinations are still running. If we just open it, if it is not prohibited, those who contract the disease (COVID-19) will even be high," he said.

Health recovery, said Arsjad, was inevitably a priority at the beginning. After the vaccination is fully carried out, the economy will automatically revive because all sectors feel safe.

However, at the same time the infrastructure to revive the economy must be prepared, both physical and non-physical.

The government has prepared physical economic generating infrastructure, including road access, transportation, trains, to the Palapa Ring. Likewise, non-physical ones such as vocational education, including the Job Creation Law, which is currently being prepared with various derivative regulations.

After the infrastructure is prepared, said Arsjad, the government needs to intensify various incentives to increase the number of economic actors at the micro, small, medium, and large levels. The goal is to expand employment, which in turn is expected to be able to reduce poverty levels.

He said Kadin as a government partner would propose the right incentives for business actors in regions with different economic potentials.

As in Yogyakarta, incentives will, among others, be proposed for the tourism industry sector considering the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting Yogyakarta continues to decline.

Meanwhile, specifically for the creative economy, Arsjad will build an Innovative Warung where MSME entrepreneurs are not only trained to produce innovative products but will also receive digital marketing training.

"I set up an innovation shop for batik entrepreneurs in Pekalongan. In this house, entrepreneurs do not only make batik but are trained to market their products more widely," he said.

Through this effort, Arsjad believes that the economy of Yogyakarta and other regions that have been hit by the pandemic can rise again. In fact, they are able to create new entrepreneurs both in the micro, small and medium scale.

"Kadin reminded all parties to help each other to encourage the increase in the number of entrepreneurs in Indonesia in order to create bigger jobs. By creating bigger jobs, it can reduce poverty," said Arsjad.