By: Dirandra Falguni)*
The Indonesian government under the leadership of President Prabowo-Gibran continues to demonstrate its strong commitment to protecting the people through progressive economic policies, especially in efforts to encourage digitalization in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector. This is reflected in various incentive programs and cross-sector collaborations aimed at accelerating digital transformation, increasing competitiveness, and opening up new economic opportunities, especially during the first 100 days of his leadership.
Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi), Meutya Hafid, recently reviewed the implementation of digitalization among MSMEs while visiting Pasar Lama, Tangerang City. During her visit, Meutya appreciated the high adoption of digital payment systems such as QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard) by traders.
According to Meutya, the adoption of technology such as QRIS can increase merchant turnover by 50-60 percent. One of the merchants met by the Minister of Communication and Digital revealed that most of their transactions are now done digitally, proving that digitalization is the new backbone of MSME business operations.
In addition to QRIS, the government is also encouraging MSMEs to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) technology. According to the Minister of Communication and Digital, AI is a revolutionary tool that can increase business efficiency, from logo creation to market analysis.
In a discussion titled “UMKM Click and Grow: Empowered to Transform with AI,” Meutya emphasized that the use of AI is no longer an option, but a necessity. Other countries that have adopted AI have proven to be able to produce goods at a lower cost and more efficiently. This is a challenge for Indonesian UMKM to follow the flow of global transformation.
Through digitalization, we are targeting economic growth of up to 8 percent, as mandated by the President. The latest data shows that only 38.7 percent of MSMEs in Indonesia have utilized digital technology. Therefore, various digital trainings are now being intensively carried out, involving platforms such as Shopee and TikTok to strengthen the digital skills of MSME actors.
Not only the government, the private sector also plays an active role in supporting the digital transformation of MSMEs. PT Jalin Pembayaran Nusantara (Jalin), a subsidiary of Holding BUMN Danareksa, is collaborating with Mitra Bukalapak to present digital payment solutions.
Jalin Commercial Director, Eko Dedi Rukminto, stated that digital transformation through a strong ecosystem can increase the efficiency and competitiveness of MSMEs. Until November 2024, QRIS has recorded 689.07 million transactions with 55.02 million users and 35.1 million merchants. This figure reflects the great potential of MSME digitalization to support equitable financial inclusion.
In the annual SPEKTA 2024 (Special End of Year Gathering) event, Bukalapak together with Jalin focused on empowering stalls, traditional kiosks, and individual agents through the O2O (online to offline) business model. This event aims to provide education and increase the adoption of digital payments among MSMEs.
In addition to digital payment solutions, strategic partnerships are also established in the business software sector. Accurate, a provider of business and accounting software, has collaborated with a Japanese SaaS company, RAKUS Co., Ltd., to strengthen the digitalization of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia.
The features offered by Accurate, such as sales management, stock management, to tax reporting, have helped more than 100,000 companies and 590,000 users in various sectors. This collaboration is real proof that digitalization is the key for SMEs to survive and thrive in the modern era.
MSMEs play a vital role in the national economy, contributing more than 60 percent to gross domestic product (GDP) and absorbing 97 percent of the workforce in Indonesia. However, the challenge of digital transformation is still a big homework.
The digital learning platform Belajarlagi in collaboration with Bank Indonesia is holding a digital marketing training program for 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This program is part of Bank Indonesia’s ongoing commitment to increasing the competitiveness, capacity, and digital literacy of MSMEs in various regions in Indonesia.
Head of the BI Lampung Representative Office, Junanto Herdiawan, also expressed his appreciation to Belajarlagi which has encouraged MSMEs to continue learning and adopting the latest technologies such as AI and ChatGPT, helping MSMEs to be more competitive in the digital era.
This program has a real impact in increasing the capacity of MSMEs so that they can be better prepared to compete globally.
He added, through ongoing cooperation between BI and Belajarlagi, it is hoped that more MSMEs will be able to utilize digital technology to develop their businesses, expand their marketing networks, and encourage national economic growth.
The government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital continues to intensify training, education, and provision of digital infrastructure so that MSMEs can be more competitive. With digitalization, MSMEs not only increase efficiency but also expand market access to the global level.
The government’s steps in preparing an economic incentive package through the digitalization of MSMEs is a form of real protection for the community. Digitalization not only facilitates market access and increases competitiveness, but also opens up new, greater opportunities for business actors.
With the support of a strong digital ecosystem, cross-sector collaboration, and the use of technology such as AI, Indonesian MSMEs have a great opportunity to become major players in the global market. This policy deserves to be appreciated as one of the strategic steps in maintaining national economic stability in the era of digital transformation.
Through this approach, MSMEs not only gain theoretical knowledge but also practical assistance in implementing digital marketing strategies, optimizing social media, marketplaces, and implementing live selling.
)* Contributor to Beritakapuas.com
