The tools and incentives to push cooperation among the private, industrial, and academy sectors are already there, and they need to be capitalized
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto underscored the importance of sustainability in technological innovation, as the government had offered financial support for its development in boosting competitiveness.

"We have witnessed that some products initiated by the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) are not utilized optimally in the follow up. Hence, sustainability should be encouraged," Hartarto stated at the 43rd Anniversary Summit of the BPPT held online here on Monday.

The minister highlighted that the government had offered super tax deductions for vocation, research, and development. However, he assessed that the BPPT and National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN) had yet to maximize the tax benefit.

"The tools and incentives to push cooperation among the private, industrial, and academy sectors are already there, and they need to be capitalized. It is expected that we can deepen the structure of the economy based on science and technology," he emphasized.

Hartarto further noted that in accordance with the president's speech at the MPR Annual Session on August 16, four policies can be adopted to accelerate the research and innovation ecosystem.

As the minister quoted from the speech, first, the consolidation of national research power must align with the national development agenda. The second area of focus was strengthening the development of an innovation- and technology-based economy towards a sustainable green economy and blue economy.

Hartarto reminded that Indonesia will host the G20 Presidency in 2022 and become involved in the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow, England.

The minister called for Indonesia to also be at par with Singapore to seize the market on carbon trading.

"Whether it is from the green or blue economy, it becomes the BPPT’s key priority. Thus, in the race with Singapore, we can get a higher and faster market share," he affirmed.

Hartarto highlighted that the third policy pertained to switching to new and renewable energy. He noted that Indonesia had been promoting the use of methane-based, recycled, and renewable waste-based energy.

Solar panels, solar farms, and solar roofs are also built to achieve energy mix targets, he pointed out.

"The fourth policy is accelerating the economy based on the green technology. Of course, research, innovation, and tech-adaptation become vital, so we can achieve those aspects that are competitive in costing," he concluded.

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Translator: Kuntum R, Kenzu T
Editor: Sri Haryati
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