"It is too low. Therefore, I have asked the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs to improve the rank to 40 by next year. How that would be done is the ministers` call. Let them discuss it," Jokowi said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said here on Friday he would take drastic measures against ministries hindering efforts to promote ease of doing business in the country.
"It is not enough to carry out small corrections. Massive rectification is needed. If staff members are found unable to perform, they must be replaced. Non-performing directors or heads of sections must be replaced if they are not ready. I have given orders to this effect," he stated during a meeting with the Association of Senior Members of HIPMI here on Friday.
He clarified that his statement did not mean that he would replace the ministers concerned. "Let them improve first. We will not replace them," he added.
He pointed out that the countrys ease of doing business index was still far below that of the neighboring countries, with Singapore being ranked first, Malaysia 18th, Thailand 49th while Indonesia was at 109th slot.
"It is too low. Therefore, I have asked the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs to improve the rank to 40 by next year. How that would be done is the ministers call. Let them discuss it," he observed.
He made it clear that he did not want to see Indonesia continue to lag even at 60th rank. "I would not bargain to have it at just 60th rank. We must not be lag so far behind other countries. Any ministry hindering improvement must be overhauled," he stressed.
He reminded that if the government did not show courage to effect changes to achieve the target of improving the ease of doing business, Indonesia would be left further behind neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. "I do not want it to happen," he commented.
On the occasion, he called on national businessmen to embrace local entrepreneurs as "sub-contractors.
"They must not do business by themselves. Our economy is cooperative economy. Do not let the business being exclusively monopolized by the state-owned companies. I wish 80 percent of it would be carried out by private parties."
Regarding economic growth, the president hoped there would be an increase in the third quarter though a small one.
"Our worst growth was in 2015, when it was 4.92 percent. Unless it is stopped, the trend may continue. Hopefully, in the third quarter, it would move up, though slowly," he explained.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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