Palembang (ANTARA) - Vice presidential candidate number 02 Sandiaga Uno is a firm believer that South Sumatra's traditional fabric songket has all the elements to become a world-class product, taking into account the wide market.

"Gauging from the amount of resonance that songket has, it is all set to become a world-class product, with the use of organic colors, one of them being derived from jengkol skin," Uno remarked at a visit to Palembang's Ready-for-Work House, Friday.

Uno called for again reviving the development of the craft of weaving songket fabric by starting new business units, and its artisans should be able to earn independently by opening their businesses.

Uno expressed his discontent to the unfair practice of Songket fabric artisans being largely paid Rp200 thousand per piece, despite its market price reaching tens of millions.

"We will offer assistance in areas of marketing and funding for songket fabrics by the implementation of ready-to-work houses. It is high time that these artisans are also benefitted financially to boost their welfare," Uno reiterated.

Uno's agenda on being elected vice president is to incorporate the songket business under the Ok Oce program believed to have an open and equitable economic principle.

"Particularly now when we are in the era of digital economy, the traders are profiting, but the buyers are not bearing the burden due to simplification in the distribution chain," Uno elaborated.

Uno has outlined a target that the OK Oce and the Ready-for-Work Houses will help to create jobs for millions of youngsters in the subsequent five years.

"I believe that with Ready-for-Work House, we can reduce joblessness, and this is in no way merely a political promise," he emphasized.

The Ready-for-Work House program of Palembang comes under the agenda for the grand vice presidential campaign number 02 in the city.

Uno plans to address a gathering at the Sultan Convention Center Building, Friday morning. Following the Friday prayer, he will head to Lampung.

Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Sri Haryati
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