During the event held at the Basket Sports Complex (GOR), the head of state arrived at 10 a.m. local time and was accompanied by Minister of State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Erick Thohir, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, and Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin.
The Mekaar program members, who receive funding from the micro-funding company Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM), welcomed the president.
"I am not sure why, but I am always happy to meet the PNM members. I see women here are excited to participate in the meeting," Jokowi noted in his welcome remarks.
According to the president, the warm welcome from the participants showed the good spirit in entrepreneurship.
Enthusiasm, discipline, and hard work are the keys to a successful business, he stated.
On that occasion, the head of state motivated 4,285 PNM members who have worked hard in building their businesses and been disciplined in utilizing their loans.
"When I was starting a business in the past, my friends started working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If I was like them working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., I could not compete with them, so I worked from early morning to midnight," the president stated.
He spoke at length about how he had developed his business from Solo, Central Java, to Jakarta, and finally to the export market.
Jokowi also reminded the PNM members of their commitment to be diligent about paying their installments according to the agreed deadline, so that the loan amount can be cleared in full.
He said that PNM fund borrowers should not purchase materialistic things that are not relevant for their business.
"It will become a problem if you borrow money from PNM to buy a wider television. This might not become a problem today but six months later," he stated.
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Translator: Andi F, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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