Jakarta – The debt amnesty program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto has received full support from various parties. This program is expected to be a solution for millions of farmers, fishermen, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who have been burdened by debt. In addition to easing the economic burden on the community, this policy is also believed to be able to encourage the growth of MSMEs and strengthen the people’s economic sector.
The Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Maman Abdurrahman, explained that President Prabowo has given direction to conduct debt amnesty for farmers, fishermen, and MSMEs. According to Maman, this policy reflects the government’s commitment to easing the burden on people experiencing economic difficulties.
“So in principle the intention is to ease the burden. The direction from the President is to try to ease our brothers and sisters who are burdened with debt,” said Maman.
Maman explained that with the debt amnesty, MSMEs who previously had difficulty developing their businesses due to debt burdens will get a breath of fresh air. This policy is expected to encourage business actors to rise again and develop their businesses without being hampered by past debt burdens.
“This is a concrete step by the government to ensure that the lower classes get equal opportunities to contribute to the national economy,” he added.
Support for this policy also came from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Kemenkop). Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi expressed his support for the debt amnesty measure, especially for 6 million farmers and fishermen who are entangled in old debts in the Farmer Business Credit (KUT) scheme. This debt of Rp8.3 trillion has burdened farmers and fishermen since 1998–1999, and the government is committed to immediately writing off the debt.
“If people have debt, it’s a burden, and that debt has been there for almost 26 years,” said Budi.
He emphasized that the debt that has been going on for more than two decades is not only a burden on the current generation, but also has the potential to hinder the survival of future generations.
“In our opinion, we support the government’s policy to eliminate, write off, and write off debts that ensnare farmers in the agricultural credit scheme,” he said.
Budi hopes that by eliminating this debt, farmers and fishermen will feel more confident in developing their businesses without worrying about the burden of old debt. On the other hand, this will also create space for the younger generation to participate in developing the agriculture and fisheries sector, so that they can create new jobs and improve the welfare of society as a whole.
This debt amnesty program not only provides relief for those who have been burdened, but also provides new opportunities for MSMEs to grow. With this policy, small business actors are expected to be able to focus more on increasing the productivity and quality of their businesses, which in turn will have a positive impact on the national economy.
This debt amnesty policy, initiated by President Prabowo and supported by various ministries, is a strategic step in ensuring that the Indonesian economy is increasingly inclusive. By eliminating the burden of old debt, small communities and MSMEs are given the opportunity to rise again and contribute to sustainable economic development. []
