26 November 2021
Ishbir Mujahid Adha, S.E., M.Si.
Minister of SOEs Erick Tohir and Vice Governor of North Sumatra (North Sumatra) Musa Rajekshah were speakers at the Economic Outlook 2022 event with the theme Strengthening Indonesia with Civilized Economy held by the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FEB USU) in the peak event of the 60th Anniversary, Thursday (25/11/2021).
On this occasion, Erick Thohir reminded to immediately prepare to face not only digitalization disruption but also global market disruption. "If we look at this global market with the G20 and COP26 Summits, all countries in the world encourage transformation must be good with nature and we agree with this. However, when talking about the supply chain, it means that we have to open up our natural resources widely, which means that we also have to send as much of our natural resources as possible and we do not agree with this," he said.
Erick continued, the state does not want Indonesia's Natural Resources (SDA) to be used for growth for other nations. "Because it is clear why the President during the G20 in Rome did not want to sign the supply chain. It's time for us to host the G20, we must be the center of world growth, but our market must be the market for our nation's economic growth. We are not anti-foreign, but our market and natural resources must be the economic growth of our country," he said.
In addition, related to economic disruption for digitalization is also something that cannot be avoided, and inevitably Indonesia must prepare to face it. For example, the top 10 companies in America that used to be retail bases, seven of which are now technology-based. "For example, Tesla, a car but a technology base, meaning that economic disruption for digitalization is no longer something that we can avoid, the question is whether we are ready. When our demographics do not have a role map of how jobs are lost and jobs will grow. When Industry 4.0 exists, who works. Start-ups in Indonesia have many technology people from other countries, we need more than 17 million technology experts, we are not ready, not to mention we are talking about the business," he said.
Erick continued, the explanation aims to describe the current situation so that everyone is involved in future improvements. "The good news is, our country has a large market and our economy is number one in Southeast Asia and we must improve all of this together," he said.
Erick admitted that SOEs are one-third of Indonesia's economic strength, for this reason it is necessary to continue to encourage SOEs to continue to transform. "I encourage five transformations in SOEs, the first is transformation rather than digitalization. Second, the transformation of renewable energy. Third, transformation in the mining industry that is friendly to the environment, fourth, transformation in the tourism industry and fifth, transformation in the food industry," he said.
Responding to Erick's explanation, Vice Governor Musa Rajekshah said that what was conveyed by the Minister of SOEs had provided enlightenment and optimism if the Indonesian economy would get better. "What was conveyed gives an enlightenment for us in the future to achieve a better economy," he said.
Ijeck, Musa Rajekshah's nickname, added that his party hopes that innovation from SOEs will not stop and hopes that Minister Erick Thohir will improve the market price conditions of agricultural commodities so that farmers can also advance. "We hope that SOEs will think about how to make this market price, what SOEs through Bulog or others so that the market price of this agricultural commodity can be stable. Because farmers rarely become rich people, rich collectors and exporters. Not to mention that our farmers are hit by loan sharks, their hands are dirty, their bodies are sweaty, but to survive, they can't even have a motorcycle, because they can't pay credit," said Ijeck.
On that occasion, Ijeck also congratulated FEB USU on its 60th Anniversary and hoped that USU through FEB could help the North Sumatra Provincial Government (Pemprov) grow the regional economy.
