The Chairman Of The Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Said There Was A 30 Percent Decrease In Sales Due To COVID-19

Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rosan Roeslani. (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) Indonesia Rosan Roeslani said the outbreak of the corona virus or COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020 has had a major effect on the decline in product sales in the trade sector.

Rosan admitted that he received reports that the decline in sales had almost occurred in several sectors ranging from automotive, electronics to tourism.

"Starting there. We see maybe rich in motorbikes and cars. The tourist industry, everything is on average (has decreased)," he said after the Omnibus Law: Government Breakthroughs for Economic Growth held by Assegaf Hamzah & Partners (AHP), at the Four Season Hotel, Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, Thursday, March 5.

According to Rosan, the decline in sales due to the COVID-19 outbreak was quite large. If the percentage decrease in overall sales reaches 30 percent over a period of two months.

"The average is almost 25 to 30 percent. That's two months. January to February," he explained.

Rosan revealed, currently electronic entrepreneurs have begun to feel obstacles in obtaining raw and supporting materials. This is because most of these materials are imported from China.

"Especially to be frank in the electronics sector. If we look at our imports of 26 percent from China and the top three raw materials for electronics, laptops and flat screens are the biggest. We ask to provide relaxation," he explained.

Rosan said that businessmen and the government were in the middle of establishing communication to solve this problem. Several fiscal policies have also been prepared by the government, such as reducing import duties on raw materials and exports.

"Maybe we are discussing other matters relating to export and import," he said.

As is known, in response to the impact of COVID-19 on the Indonesian economy, the government is now preparing a volume two stimulus package. This policy will be implemented after the ratification of the Job Creation Bill (RUU) by the DPR RI.

The stimulus volume two itself is a continuation of the provision of incentive funds of around Rp.10.3 trillion allocated to some of the most affected sectors, such as tourism to aviation. While the stimulus this time will help medium-scale companies.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the second volume of the economic stimulus package was expected to be able to boost the real sector amid economic pressure due to COVID-19.

Efforts to encourage the real sector, said Airlangga, were also carried out by monitoring the situation of credit and funds entering banks. The stimulus is expected to push the wheels of the economy together with the incentive volume that was previously announced.

Airlangga said that the stimulus this time would help medium-scale companies. Meanwhile, the stimulus package announced at the end of last month targeted micro and small scale companies.

In addition, this stimulus package will regulate the matter of trimming the export procedure process to cutting import duties for various products.