JAKARTA – chairperson of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (BPP HIPMI) Mardani H. Maming said that his party supports and will participate in supporting the vision of the Indonesian government to increase competitiveness and encourage economic transformation towards developed countries. Only through innovation and technology can a nation increase its productivity, competitiveness and its transformation towards a developed country.
“Through Covid-19, there are still many sectors of the Indonesian economy that depend on raw materials and products from outside. Not only health products but also the food industry, service and technology sectors, and when there is a global supply chain disruption, many economic sectors occur. “We must continue to encourage members to be involved in innovating and implementing technology for our business,” said Maming, in his speech at the HIPMI XVII Rakernas event, at the Kempinski Hotel, Jakarta, Friday (5/3/2021).
Therefore, this post-pandemic momentum needs to be used to organize and strengthen a national economy that is more independent and competitive. It is time to shift the economy, from a consumptive to a productive nation, from a nation that relies on natural resources (SDA) to a nation based on technology and innovation, from a nation of tailors to a nation with mastery of high technology.
“We need to integrate innovation and technology into the nation’s economy so that it is more productive and competitive, catching up with where we have been. Through the application of technology, it can increase productivity among young entrepreneurs many times over with efficient economic costs,” he said.
So far, only with the application of technology can he become a player in the global economy. Shrimp farms are operated by members of young entrepreneurs have increased their production many times over with excellent quality. They can process the wealth of Buton asphalt into good quality asphalt by the application of technology as they carry it out.
“We can process the abundant coal into LPG, and it can even convert the energy source for power plants made from gas into methanol and fertilizer raw materials as well. Nickel smelters can also improve the nation’s performance from nickel ore exporters to electric car exporters in the future,” he said.
It also proves digital technology to increase the intensity of global production and trade. All because of technology, most of them are still controlled by other nations with no effort to create and develop the nation’s children.
“Innovation and technology do not fall from the sky, but are born from the seriousness of the nation’s children in researching and studying it in the laboratory and in the social environment. Therefore, innovation and technology need to be encouraged and enhanced through collaborative partnerships between campuses and research institutions as innovators, supported by government agencies in research and technology, developed by the business world and financed by financial institutions” he said.
The business world, young entrepreneurs who are more open and adaptive to new technology, can develop it and apply it in their business activities. Financial institutions, both banking and non-bank, also need to increase attention to young entrepreneurs, those based on innovation and technology.
“Of course, everything needs government support through the Ministry of Research and Technology and other relevant ministries. If this institution can be well connected and collaborate, we will see the rise of a more competitive Indonesian economy in the future. HIPMI is ready to contribute to the development of this cooperation“ he added.
writer: Anang Fadhilah
