Entrepreneurship drive to be launched today<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto is scheduled to launch a
\nnational entrepreneurship drive to coincide with today's
\ncelebration of Cooperatives Day.<\/p>\n
Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto
\nTjakrawerdaya said here yesterday that the main aim of the
\ncampaign is to create as many new entrepreneurs as possible to
\nsupport the rapid growth of the business sector.<\/p>\n
\"As more and more entrepreneurs enter the business sector,
\nhopefully monopolistic and cartel-like practices will no longer
\nexist in the country,\" Subiakto said.<\/p>\n
He noted that the campaign's target groups include business
\npeople, especially those affiliated with small and medium
\nenterprises as well as cooperatives, students, school or
\nuniversity drop-outs and youth groups.<\/p>\n
Under Presidential Instruction No. 4\/1995, Minister Subiakto
\nis to coordinate the drive with 16 other ministers, the governor
\nof Bank Indonesia (the central bank) and all 27 provincial
\ngovernors.<\/p>\n
The government has budgeted Rp 1.59 trillion (US$715 million)
\nfor the campaign until March 1999. The funds are dispersed among
\na number of ministries which have direct control of small
\nbusinesses. The government has allocated Rp 200 billion for the
\ncampaign this fiscal year, Rp 449 billion for the next fiscal
\nyear, Rp 471 billion for 1997-98 and Rp 471.2 billion for 1998-
\n99.<\/p>\n
The campaign will also be financed with some Rp 100 billion
\nper annum, which will be collected from the contributions of
\nstate-owned companies.<\/p>\n
Under a government regulation, state-owned companies are
\nrequired to set aside up to five percent of their profits for the
\ndevelopment of small and medium-size businesses and cooperatives.<\/p>\n
Operation<\/p>\n
Soeharto Prawirokusumo, chief of the research and development
\ncenter at the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises,
\nexplained that the campaign would be divided into three
\noperational phases -- institutionalization, socialization and
\ndevelopment of entrepreneurship at targeted layers of society.<\/p>\n
The institutionalization program will include coordination
\namong related institutions, preparations of software, the
\nestablishment of information centers for small and medium-size
\nenterprises and the mobilization of counselors, trainers and
\nconsultants.<\/p>\n
Minister Subiakto acknowledged that the current business
\nclimate was not yet conducive to the development of smaller
\nbusinesses. \"But of course, we will improve it further.\"<\/p>\n
Procedures to get business licenses and to obtain credits, for
\nexample, are still byzantine.<\/p>\n
The minister noted that to provide better legal protection for
\nsmall and medium enterprises, the government submitted a bill to
\nthe House of Representatives yesterday.<\/p>\n
Prawirokusumo explained further that the socialization scheme
\nwould include advertising, sponsorship and publication through
\nboth print and electronic media.<\/p>\n
He said the entrepreneurship program would include training,
\nguidance and counseling, apprenticeships, comparative studies and
\nthe provision of cheap funds. (rid)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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