Jakarta, Sept 4 (Antara) - The Indonesian eastern region is rich in natural and maritime resources but it is relatively less developed if compared with the western part of the country.
As part of its efforts to carry out even development, President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) government is looking to the regions outside Java, particularly the eastern region.
In the field of fish industry, President Jokowi has the target to shift the focus of fish industrial development from Java to the eastern region of the country. The present government's concept necessitates that fish industry should not be concentrated on Java.
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti therefore wanted the development of fishery processing centers to be shifted to regions outside Java such as Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.
According to Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for Eastern Indonesia Andi Rukman Karumpa, Minister Susi's idea was in line with the maritime development vision of President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Shifting the focus of fish processing centers would help develop the economy of the eastern region which currently lags behind the western region. "Moreover, it is feasible from an economic viewpoint because the raw materials also come from the eastern region. The move will make the transportation and logistics cost more viable," Andi explained.
Data with the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry show that there are 718 fish processing units (UPIs) in Indonesia, of which over 60 percent is located in Java. Many UPIs are being developed in Java because most of the fishing vessels come from western Indonesia.
In order to develop the fishery sector in the eastern region, President Jokowi has issued a presidential instruction to expedite the development of the sector.
The development of Indonesia's outermost islands is expected to speed up after of the Presidential Instruction Number 7 of 2016 on the accelerated development of the fishery industry has been issued, Susi said on August 26.
"We hope the development of the 15 outermost islands would run at a faster pace following the issuance of the Inpres (presidential instruction)," she said at a press conference.
Susi further stated that so far her office had been carrying out developmental efforts in the 16 outermost islands, five of which were covered in 2015 and 10 in 2016, adding that next year six more islands would be brought under the ambit of this development drive.
President Jokowi has also asked other ministries to assist Minister Susi in the development of the 15 outermost islands so as to transform them into integrated fishery centers.
The instruction was addressed to 25 officials, including the Coordinating Political, Legal and Human Rights Affairs Minister, the Coordinating Economic Minister and the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister.
Ministers of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Transportation, Industry, Trade, as well as Energy and Mineral Resources also received the instruction.
Other officials included the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education, the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing, the State-Owned Enterprises Minister, the Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Minister and the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister.
Cabinet-level officials were also given the instruction, including chiefs of the Military Force and the National Police, Attorney General, Heads of Investment Coordinating Board, Maritime Security Board and National Agency of Drug and Food Control. In order to implement it publicly as widely as possible, President Jokowi also addressed the Presidential Instruction to Governors and Mayors.
"We hope the significant hike in cultured fishery production during the past two years will bring prosperity," Susi said, adding that integration would help develop better trading chains and market access.
The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) hailed the issuance of the Inpres in view of the fact that development of the fishery sector has not run optimally so far.
"We welcome the Inpres. The President perhaps felt the fishery sector's development has not been optimal," Kadin's Deputy Chairman for Fishery and Marine Resources, Yugi Prayanto, said here on Thursday.
He made the statement after the Inpres was signed by President Jokowi on August 22 to accelerate the development of the fishery industry and to improve the welfare of the people, including fishermen, fish farmers, people involved in the processing and marketing of fishery products, as well as increasing employment and foreign exchange income.
The Kadin praised President Jokowi for his instruction regarding the Acceleration of the National Fisheries Industry Development, as the fisheries sector is yet to be optimally explored.
"The President thinks the fisheries sector can be explored further and we appreciate his directives," Yugi said.
The Kadin deputy chairman said he is optimistic that the government will welcome inputs from the Chamber and other related entities to increase the country's foreign exchange earnings while at the same time increasing the welfare of fishermen, small fishery business makers and the processing industries.
There are a lot of prospects in the fishery sector that are yet to optimally explored, from the potential to capture fish after the moratorium, lack of fish supply to the processing industry, to the import of tuna to meet industrial demand.
Fishery business makers are expected to review policies that inflict financial loss, as long as it does not harm the preservation of the fishery sector. Ultimately, the Chamber of Commerce aspires for Indonesia to become the leading country in the fisheries sector, Yogi said.***3***(A014/S012)
(T.A014/A/A. Abdussalam/Suharto) 04-09-2016 22:05:0 |
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