New Normal Form, Kemenkop UKM Ask BI To Support The Digitalization Of MSMEs

Bank Indonesia Office (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic forces people to adapt to a new life order. Fulfillment of needs is currently done by shopping online or digitally. Therefore, the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs has requested support from Bank Indonesia in the context of digitizing MSMEs.

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, Teten Masduki, said that digitalization is part of improving MSMEs in increasing their competitiveness against modern retailers that have entered the community. In addition, with digitalization, MSMEs can market products more widely.

Teten said, MSMEs are the sector most affected by COVID-19. This is because large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) make social interaction between business actors and buyers impossible. However, there are some MSMEs that can still survive.

"We see that there are indeed a few that can survive and grow. MSMEs that are already connected to the digital ecosystem are growing relatively better. So I think this pandemic is a momentum to accelerate the digitization of MSMEs and this is only 13 percent," he said, in a virtual discussion, Wednesday. , June 24th.

However, said Teten, this digitalization cannot run alone, only by the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs. He said, in order to do so, there must be support from the central bank.

"So I think this needs Bank Indonesia support, especially the implementation of payment support for cooperatives and umkm. At Smesco, we already use QRIS for payments, so we have started to implement it. I think if the use of digital payments is expanded by extensive digitalization, this will be a momentum for MSMEs access a bigger market, "he said.

BI Encourages MSMEs to Use Qris for Payment Transactions

Responding to the request of Kememkop UKM, Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) Perry Warjiyo said that his party will support MSMEs to be more creative and have new innovations. One way that can be done is digitization. This is because digitization can make work easier and more efficient.

"Likewise with finance, we have agreed from BI and other banks to build an ecosystem and digital finance," he explained.

Perry said that his party would encourage MSME players to make digital payment transactions using the Indonesian Standard Quick Response Code (QRIS). Where the use of a unique digital code can simplify payment transactions.

Furthermore, he said, BI and other banks would bring all informal MSMEs players to connect to the digital world through fintech, banking and others.

"We will encourage traditional markets, farmers, fishermen and SMEs to digitize QRIS payments. We encourage them not only to improve their financial inclusion but also our economic inclusion," he said.

On the same occasion, Assistant Governor Head of the Bank Indonesia Payment System Policy Department, Filianingsih Hendarta, said that currently the growth in the number of MSMEs that have used the QRIS payment method has shown an increase.

According to Filia, at least 87 percent of MSMEs have made payments using the QRIS method.

"If we see the increase from March to June, there are 119 percent of MSMEs using QRIS and 119 percent of social donations doing the same," he said.