Minister Maman Assures Government Policies Will Favour MSMEs

Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Maman Abdurrahman has assured that the government is continuously preparing policies that favour MSME players and online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers to sustainably improve public welfare. “Our main commitment is how to encourage welfare improvement not only for ojol, but also for micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs in the Republic of Indonesia. What the pattern is, what the form is, give that trust to us. God willing, we will prepare these policies,” Maman said in Jakarta on Monday. The statement was made by Maman while attending a public viewing event for the 2026 World Cup final with thousands of online motorcycle taxi drivers organised by the Ministry of MSMEs in Jakarta. According to him, the event was not merely a gathering to watch a football match, but carried a message from President Prabowo Subianto regarding the government’s alignment with the lower economic class. He said President Prabowo sent his regards to the online motorcycle taxi drivers while reminding the entire cabinet that every government policy must provide tangible benefits for MSME players. Maman explained that the President has also tasked the Ministry of MSMEs with creating a space of hope for online motorcycle taxi drivers through policies capable of opening opportunities for sustainable improvements in welfare and living standards. He stated that achieving this goal requires strong bonds, trust, and collaboration between the government, ride-hailing application companies, and all driver communities in Indonesia. He assessed that synergy with ride-hailing application partners such as Grab, GoTo, Maxim, and InDrive forms a crucial foundation for various empowerment programmes to run effectively and deliver direct benefits to drivers. Therefore, Maman invited all stakeholders to build constructive partnerships by prioritising the principles of justice, mutual trust, and a commitment to grow and develop together within the business ecosystem. He stressed that the Ministry of MSMEs’ presence within the online motorcycle taxi driver community is a manifestation of the government’s commitment to preparing various policies that support the welfare improvement and empowerment of partners. Maman confirmed that all policies being prepared are not only aimed at online motorcycle taxi drivers but also target all micro, small, and medium enterprises as the main drivers of the national economy. “The President always conveys to us, his assistants, that we must have a bias towards the lower economic class, one of which is ojol,” Maman said. It is known that the government is preparing a Presidential Regulation as a legal umbrella to regulate the status of online motorcycle taxi drivers as micro, small, and medium enterprise players to strengthen protection and expand access to empowerment for driver partners. MSMEs Minister Maman Abdurrahman said the government is currently finalising the substance of the regulation with several related ministries. “The legal umbrella is being finalised. We are currently coordinating between the relevant ministries,” Maman said after an audience with the online motorcycle taxi community in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/7). The government is also still discussing which ministry will be the custodian of the policy, whether it remains with the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Communication and Digital, or the Ministry of MSMEs.