Jamsostek prepares Rp 22.5 billion for SMEs
Jamsostek prepares Rp 22.5 billion for SMEs
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta
State-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek has prepared Rp
22.5 billion (US$2.6 million) in credits and training funds for
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) this year to support the
government's program of empowering the types of businesses.
Jamsostek's president Achmad Junaidi said he just received an
instruction from the government odering all state-owned
companies, including Jamsostek, to deposit a part of their annual
profit in banks as collateral to back up the credit scheme.
"In line with the instruction, Jamsostek has decided to put
aside Rp 22.5 billion from its 2003 profit to support the
program.
"Of the amount, Rp 18 billion will be disbursed in credits to
a total of 600 SMEs with the annual interest rates of between 6
and 12 percent while the remaining Rp 4.5 billion will be used to
cover up a training program for new entrepreneurs," he said after
giving scholarships to students from law-income families at the
Jakarta Fair Ground in Kemayoran on Friday.
So far, Jamsostek has provided scholarships to more than
25,000 talented children of low-income workers.
Junaidi said Jamsostek would gave priority to dismissed
workers in its credit program with the goal of enabling them to
continue supporting their family.
"It is line with Jamsostek's main mission of providing social
security for workers," he said.
Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti
revealed on Thursday that the government has prepared a scheme to
channel excess liquidity in the banking sector to SMEs and has
asked state-owned companies to fully support the credit scheme.
Despite the falling interest rate of the central bank, local
banks remain reluctant to give credits to the business sector
partly because of the slow progress in corporate restructuring,
causing a surplus in their liquidity.
Junaidi said Jamsostek had channelled a total of Rp 61.5
billion in credits to more than 3,500 SMEs nationwide since 1991.
"We usually give priorities to SMEs involving in home
industry, trade, agriculture and plantation. This fiscal year, we
will give more attention to dismissed workers and their
relatives," he said.