JP\/13\/SMEs<\/p>\n
Cigarette maker aims to inspire SMEs<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
It was 1913 when Lim Seeng Tee got on his bike and rode
\nthrough the streets of Surabaya selling the cigarettes that he
\nand his wife had hand-rolled at their humble bamboo-walled house.<\/p>\n
Not many people know that that humble beginning was the start
\nfor giant cigarette maker PT HM Sampoerna, which in the first
\nnine months of this year sold 30.95 billion cigarettes worth Rp
\n12.52 trillion (US$1.38 billion) -- roughly equal to the Jakarta
\nadministration's entire budget for 2004.<\/p>\n
\"What small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need are good
\nexamples and inspiration to show them that they can grow into
\ngreat businesses,\" Rusni Kartina, senior brand manager of Dji Sam
\nSoe, the brand Seeng Tee crafted more than nine decades ago, told
\nThe Jakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
\"They also need help in finding a market for their products,\"
\nshe added.<\/p>\n
These things were what the government, as well as the private
\nsector, should do -- more than merely giving capital -- said
\nRusni.<\/p>\n
The East Java-based cigarette company is holding a national
\ncompetition called the Dji Sam Soe (DSS) award to find exemplary
\nSMEs. The model enterprises selected will be those which have
\ngood corporate governance in their management and a high
\nsustainability prospects.<\/p>\n
To be eligible, the SMEs are required to have assets of
\nbetween Rp 250 million and Rp 1 billion -- not including land and
\nbuildings -- and a turnover of between Rp 1 billion and 5 billion
\nper annum. They should employ more than 10 workers and have been
\nin business for more than three years.<\/p>\n
Sampoerna will entrust the selection process to Tempo Media
\nand SMEs development organizations Dunamis Organization Services,
\nSwisscontact and state-owned investment firm PT Permodalan
\nNasional Madani.<\/p>\n
As for finding markets, Rusni gave examples of what Sampoerna
\ndoes for several tempeh and tofu producers near its factory in
\nMalang, East Java, as an example.<\/p>\n
\"We distribute their products via Alfa minimarkets,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The government also plans to honor excellent micro
\nentrepreneurs of 2004 by handing out an award on Nov. 18. In a
\nbid to boost the development of the micro-enterprise sector, it
\nhas set 2005 as the international year of micro-credit.<\/p>\n
Micro-enterprises and SMEs in Indonesia, which reached 40
\nmillion units and employ 80 million people in 2003, have proven
\nto be highly sustainable, even amid the 1997 monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
A survey by the office of the state minister of cooperatives
\nand SMEs of 225,000 enterprises shows that just 4 percent had
\ngone bankrupt.<\/p>\n
Sixty-four percent were able to maintain profitable turnovers,
\nwhile 31 percent kept their businesses despite declining sales.<\/p>\n
SMEs played a big role in the success of large companies, said
\nRusni. Sampoerna is supported by 25 enterprises with more than
\n1,000 employees that roll the company's trademark cigarette Dji
\nSam Soe.<\/p>\n
\"Our cigarettes are also distributed widely through SMEs,\" she
\nexplained further.<\/p>\n
The first, second and third place winners of the DSS award
\nwill get cash prizes of Rp 36 million, Rp 27 million and Rp 18
\nmillion, respectively.<\/p>\n
Registration forms, available in several banks and website
\nwww.djisamsoe.com, can be submitted until Dec. 9.<\/p>\n
Over 190 selected nominees will receive site visits and be
\ninterviewed by the jury. After further selections, nine top
\nnominees will go to Jakarta to give presentations in front of
\nprominent business figures -- Eva Riyanti Hutapea, Bob Sadino,
\nEnny Harjanto and Charles Saerang.<\/p>\n
The winners will be announced in the third week of January
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
\"We believe that the award will give the model SMEs wide
\nexposure, a sense of pride and inspiration,\" said Rusni.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp13smes-1447899208",
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