Transportation, ICT industries to get special directorate general

Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Following the division of the ministry of industry and trade into two ministries, the government will form a new directorate general at the Ministry of Industry to supervise the booming transportation, electronics and information and communications technology sectors.

Minister of Industry Andung A. Nitimihardja said during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission V for trade, industry and state-owned enterprises on Wednesday the new division would be called the "directorate general for transportation equipment and telematics industries".

It will be responsible for developing policies, standardizing and regulating industries that manufacture all forms of transportation, electronics and information and communication technology equipment.

Andung said in his presentation the new division was necessary to help Indonesia take advantage of the lucrative transportation equipment and electronics markets, which were globally worth US$2 trillion in 2000.

The transportation equipment industries include the manufacturing of automobiles, motorcycles, railroad cars, maritime and aerospace transportation products, related components and related maintenance services.

With the new directorate general, the ministry will have four directorates general. The other three are the directorate general for the agriculture and chemical industries, the directorate general for the metal, machinery, textile and miscellaneous industries, and the directorate general for small and medium industries.

In the former administration, the transportation equipment and telematics industries were under the supervision of the directorate general for metal, machinery, textile and miscellaneous industries.