"Aspects like this, to balance the market, can only be accomplished when the state firm is healthy. How can an unhealthy state firm intervene in the market if the company itself is facing difficulties?"Jakarta (ANTARA) - Healthy state enterprises would be able to emerge as agents that balance the market through the government's policies, such as market operation, State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir noted.
"Aspects like this, to balance the market, can only be accomplished when the state firm is healthy. How can an unhealthy state firm intervene in the market if the company itself is facing difficulties?" Thohir remarked in a statement here on Friday.
The minister cited as an example the state firm intervention to lower the price of face masks to Rp5,000 per pack during the COVID-19 pandemic, from Rp100,000 per pack in the market.
Thohir said, state firms' financial health had become a crucial issue, as it would have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Transformation in business and human resource development is expected to have a significant impact on the enterprises, the minister stated.
It would not only improve the performance but also build a strong foundation for the state firms to minimize corrupt practices.
"Corruption is one aspect that we must eradicate, although we realize that it already existed since long. However, we have to minimize it," he stated.
Other transformations in the ministry are reducing the number of state firms and clusters, establishing holding to strengthen the business ecosystem, and closing down state-owned companies that have consistently failed to post profits.
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Translator: Sugiharto Purnama, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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