Chairman Of Kadin Rosan Roeslani Shocked At 7,000 MSMEs List Of Vaccines, Erick Thohir: They Are The Backbone Of Indonesia's Economy

Chairman of Kadin, Rosan P. Roeslani. (Photo: Capture screenshots of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce webinar of the socialization of the Mutual Cooperation Vaccination Center)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) is collaborating with Siloam Hospital, a mutual vaccination center for the COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccination center will prioritize those who have registered for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rosan Perkasa Roeslani said that the interest of UMKM players is very high to participate in this mutual cooperation vaccination program. He said, the high interest could be seen from the number of MSMEs that had registered.

Furthermore, Rosan said that until now, MSMEs had registered and more or less had reached 7,000 of the 22,700 companies registered at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"We were quite surprised at the beginning, from UMKM also had registration with us, and the employees were only 3, 5, 10, 15 there were 20 and they asked us whether MSMEs could participate, we said that as long as it was an Indonesian legal entity they could register," he said in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, May 18.

On the same occasion, BUMN Minister Erick Thohir said he was happy because the mutual cooperation vaccination program prioritized MSMEs. Erick said, this sector is very important because MSMEs are the backbone of the Indonesian economy.

"I think MSMEs are a very important backbone for the Republic of Indonesia. It is impossible for our country not to involve MSMEs in enforcing balance rather than economy to be sustainable," he said.

Vaccination for the MSME sector encourages government optimism that the country's economy will revive. Erick believes that the national economy will return to normal in 2022.

"Of course we hope that with the sustainability of MSMEs it can return to normalization of economic activity gradually. We are optimistic that next year our economy will return to normal," he said.

Erick said, even though economic conditions had begun to return to normal, the community still had to strictly carry out the COVID-19 health protocol.

"Although of course we have to agree, the situation that we are experiencing is of course post-epidemic this is still like this. Health workshops must run well, wear masks, keep your distance and wash your hands," he said.