JAKARTA— Minister of Industry Mr Airlangga Hartanto said he has several major tasks from government to set up. First, the government is facing economic gap, not only between rich and poor, but also between the manufacturing and non-manufacturing regions. “The gap needs narrowing either through equalisation of industrial zones or special economic zones, especially in the border regions,” he said.
Second, the Ministry of Industry together with the private sector will carry out vocational education in accordance with industry’s requirements for young people who are about to get work. “We will also cooperate with the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education to encourage training on professional fields,” he said.
Third, there must be attempts to encourage investment through coordination with the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
According to National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN) from 2015 to 2019, the Ministry of Industry was mandated to implement the zoning of industrial development outside Java to facilitate the development of 14 industrial zone and 22 centres for small and medium industries throughout Indonesia.
The ministry is assigned to create 9,000 large and medium-scale industry-based enterprises, 50% of which must be outside Java; and also to create 20,000 small enterprises. The ministry also must increase the competitiveness and productivity by improving technical efficiency, mastery of science and technology / innovation, new product development, and construction of input factors.
“The Ministry of Industry cannot work alone without support and coordination with other related ministries and other government agencies as well as businesses and industry associations,” he said.
To that end, stakeholders’ support is indispensable in the formulation of industrial policies to meet the infrastructure for industrial development. “We need to coordinate and work together with our partners in the legislature, the media, and the public to jointly build an industry for more powerful industry in Indonesia,” he said. (*)
