Micro Business Facilitation Festival in Jember Aims to Upgrade MSMEs

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has stated that the Festival Kemudahan dan Pelindungan Usaha Mikro (Micro Business Facilitation and Protection Festival) held in Jember, East Java, is designed to help micro enterprises upgrade and become more empowered through easier access to financing and markets provided by the government. Plh Deputy for Micro Enterprises, who is also Deputy for Entrepreneurship at the Ministry of MSMEs, Riza Damanik, said the festival is being held in ten provinces, including East Java, and urged local businesses to make the most of the opportunity. He explained that one of the government’s main programmes is to facilitate access to financing and markets for MSMEs, as the two are closely linked. Providing financing without market access would create future problems for MSMEs, as they would be unable to sell products and repay credit loans. Conversely, having broad market access without easy financing would also be difficult, as businesses would be unable to meet demand due to limited capital. The government has therefore initiated an integrated scheme, moving away from sectoral empowerment towards a comprehensive ecosystem approach. The festival represents a joint commitment to strengthening micro businesses through access to licensing, financing, business mentoring, and legal and social protection. In addition to expanding financing access, the government is reinforcing services for MSMEs through digital transformation, including an integrated digital platform called the MSME Service Application System (SAPA UMKM). Jember Regent Muhammad Fawait welcomed the ministry’s initiative, viewing it as a strong signal of the central government’s attention to regional business actors. He said the decision to hold the event in Jember reflects the state’s support for micro business development. The Jember administration is committed to consistently supporting MSME policies, including through regular field visits to engage with and listen to informal business operators. He stressed that MSME empowerment is a key strategy for medium- and long-term poverty alleviation, targeting both the sustainability of existing businesses and the creation of new entrepreneurs from low-income groups.