This facility is provided as stimulus for SMEs to increase the competitive edges of their products."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government continues to facilitate the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which is one of the countrys economic pillars in the private sector apart from cooperatives and state-owned companies.

In its efforts to develop SMEs, the government, since the launch of a series of its economic policy packages last year, has included small businesses as one of its targets in its efforts to improve the countrys economic development.

Among the economic packages which provides facilities for the development of small businesses is the third package issued in October last year which regulated the facility on how small businesses can get more access to micro loans through the smallholders credit (KUR) scheme.

The government gave priority to export-oriented SMEs through the smallholders export-oriented credit (KURBE) scheme.

The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs is convinced that the KURBE scheme will become the best solution to cheap financing problem of SME players and cooperatives.

"This potential will be managed by the Indonesian Export Financing Institution (LPEI). It is expected that there will be no longer problem for SMEs and cooperatives with obtaining cheap financing credits because there is already synergy among small businesses and the LPEI," deputy for financing affairs of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Braman Setyo, said in Jakarta on Thursday (April 7).

Braman said that so far SMEs were constrained with financing in their efforts to carry out exports. Therefore, sometime ago, the government issued a policy package which specifically dealt with the smallholders export-oriented scheme.

"This facility is provided as stimulus for SMEs to increase the competitive edges of their products," he said.

Braman said that through this credit facility the quality and added value of SMEs products are expected to increase and improve. The KURBE system provides complete and concerted export financing facilities, called export working capital credit (KMKE) and export investment credit (KIE).

With an interest rate of nine percent (without subsidy), this credit scheme will be distributed by the Indonesian Export Financing Institution/LPEI (in this case the Exim Bank).

"This credit will mature in three years at the latest for the KMKE and or five years for the KIE. The maximal ceiling of KURBE credit for micro businesses is Rp5 billion and for small businesses is at Rp25 billion (maximally Rp15 billion if it is for KMKE) while for middle-scale businesses is set at Rp50 billion (RP25 billion if it is for KMKE)," he said.

The export-oriented smallholders credit/KURBE is mainly targeted at suppliers/plasm which support industry or at industry which employs many workers.

"The smallholders export-oriented credit or KURBE is different from the smallholders credit (KUR) scheme. Small businesses who want to obtain KURBE credit facility should have partnership with companies that have active export network," he said.

This partnership will benefit small business players through transfer of knowledge.

Regarding the KUR scheme, the government last October issued a third economic policy package to allow small businesses to have ample access to KUR credits.

The third phase of the governments economic policy package offers a chance to get micro loans (KUR) for entrepreneurs and for families with routine income, who wish to do business in the productive sector.

Chief Presidential Communication Team leader Ari Dwipayana said in written statement on that the third economic policy package included efforts to expand the recipients of micro loans for small businesses, known as KUR.

In order to widen banking access for entrepreneurs through the KUR scheme, the government has lowered the interest rate for KUR loans from about 22 percent to 12 percent late last year and this the interest rate is lowered to nine percent.

The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs allocated this year Rp100 trillion for KUR credits to micro, small and medium enterprises. This credit fund is far higher this year compared with that in 2015 which was only Rp30 trillion.

The credits will be distributed to SMEs to help them play their role in the countrys economic development and growth. Therefore, SMEs should be protected.

According to former minister of cooperatives and small entrepreneur development Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya, the micro and small enterprises should be protected by the cooperatives.

"The micro and small industry will be affected by the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)," he said on Thursday (April 7).

Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the National Economic and Industry Committee (KEIN), Arif Budimanta said national micro and small entrepreneurs could compete with other countries in the AEC.

"Because Indonesia has the largest market in ASEAN. We have about 250 million people. The most important is local entrepreneurs must control the market," Arif stated.

Through cooperatives, the micro and small entrepreneurs would have greater economic capital to develop their business. "The entrepreneurs could reduce operating costs, risks, and expand the market," Subiakto remarked.

He said there are two problems for SMEs, namely market and capital. The existence of the cooperative could reduce the problems, as well as transform competition into a collective cooperation, he said.
(T.A014/H-YH)

Reporter: Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2016