There is minimum support from the banking sector to the maritime economy."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The banking sector should support the maritime economy to realize the vision to transform Indonesia into a global maritime axis, Former maritime affairs and fisheries minister Prof. Rokhmin Dahuri stated.

"There is minimum support from the banking sector to the maritime economy. The bank rates in the sector are high, and its requirements are very strict," professor of marine noted here on Thursday.

Dahuri remarked that Indonesias bank lending rate in 2014 was the highest, up to 14 percent.

The bank rate is high as compared to the other countries such as Malaysia at 4.8 percent, the Philippines at 5.7 percent, Singapore at 5.4 percent, Thailand at 7.1 percent, Australia at 7 percent, and Japan 1.4 percent.

"Bank lending to the marine and fisheries sector is also minimum. In 2014, the bank credit given to the fisheries sector was only 0.29 percent of the total loans while the bank credit for the wholesale and retail trade sector amounted to 26.94 percent," he pointed out.

Therefore, Dahuri urged the government to issue political and economic policies related to the fiscal, monetary, autonomy, the governments relationship with the House of Representatives as well as law enforcement.

He also proposed the establishment of a maritime bank to provide business loans in the maritime and fisheries sector.

If the support from banks can be realized, it will help to overcome one of the main problems faced by the maritime sector.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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