The efforts will be implemented to support SME products to compete in the market during the AEC."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Puspayoga has specifically formulated four policies for the sector to support the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

The minister shed light on the four policies during the meeting with the Fourth Commission of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta, on Monday.

"The first policy is to improve the clusters or central areas for SMEs to develop regional eminent products through the One Village One Product or OVOP approach," Puspayoga noted.

The minister explained that as part of the second policy, the Indonesian government will encourage to improve the quality of human resources and entrepreneurship among the Indonesian people.

According to Puspayoga, the third policy will be an effort to improve the quality and standard ratings of SME products.

"The standardization can be carried out to support the SME sector in securing halal certification and intellectual property rights," Puspayoga said.

The minister stated that his institution will help SMEs to copyright and standardize their products by coordinating with the Law and Human Rights Ministry. Puspayoga remarked that government will freely grant copyrights to the micro and small entrepreneurs.

Additionally, the fourth policy will help to provide a funding scheme and loans on low interest rates through the Revolving Fund Management Agency of the ministry. The agency is preparing funding policies for the Micro and SMEs.

The government will coordinate with the Regional Development Bank and several loan guarantee agencies to prepare the funding for the Micro and SMEs sector.

"In order to support export access to the international market, we will cooperate with the Indonesian Export Funding Agency," the minister noted.

The government will also intensify its monitoring efforts in border areas to suppress the entry of illegal products into the Indonesian market.

Meanwhile, the ministry will coordinate with the National Standardization Agency to implement halal and standard rating status for the micro and SME entrepreneurs.

"The efforts will be implemented to support SME products to compete in the market during the AEC," the minister emphasized.
(Uu.B019/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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