Based on the Presidential Secretariat's statement here on Tuesday, the visit to Beringharjo Market marked the First Lady and OASE KIM members' first working visit in 2023.
Iriana, Wury, and the group walked from the Yogyakarta Presidential Palace and arrived at the market at around 9:40 a.m. local time.
At the market, Iriana and members of OASE KIM greeted the traders there. Iriana also stopped at several stores and asked the traders about the economic development in the market, especially after the public activities restrictions (PPKM) policy was lifted.
The First Lady also lauded traders, who sell products made by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) actors, for instance, Yogyakarta's batik-motif clothing and fabrics. The group also bought some batik products, in addition to small red sling bags.
Iriana and Wury started using the bags soon after purchasing them.
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On the occasion, Iriana and Wury as well as members of OASE KIM, invited communities in the market to support local MSMEs' products and admire batik that is enlisted as a world cultural heritage.
"Let us buy it all," Iriana remarked.
Dini Cahyanti, one of the batik and clothing traders at Beringharjo Market, said she was happy that her goods were bought by Iriana, with total spending of Rp1 million.
Meanwhile, MSMEs have been the government's priority, as they are considered as the national economy's backbone.
MSMEs have an opportunity to dominate the domestic market in 2023, as the global supply chains are disrupted, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Minister Teten Masduki had stated earlier on Thursday (January 12).
"We want to strengthen the foundation of MSMEs, so they can expand and take opportunities amid the recession," he remarked.
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Translator: Mentari G, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
