President Jokowi Disappointed Export Indonesia Lost with Neighbors

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - President Joko Widodo insinuated and said there is something wrong with Indonesia's exports is still inferior to neighboring countries in ASEAN.

The President said that Indonesia's exports in 2017 reached 145 billion US dollars still lost to Thailand which reached 231 billion US dollars, Malaysia 184 billion dollars and Vietnam which reached 160 billion dollars.

"The country of this magnitude is inferior to Thailand with enormous resources and human resources, we are losing. There is something wrong and something has to be changed," the President said during the opening speech of the Ministry of Trade 2018 at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (31/1) / 2018)

According to the President, it is all the responsibility of the Ministry of Trade to increase Indonesia's exports. "It's your responsibility," said Jokowi.

The President said there is a mistake that must be addressed so that Indonesia's export is not inferior to the neighboring countries whose population and resources are still below Indonesia.

Jokowi also said Indonesia is too monotonous and takes care of traditional markets only and does not want to open new markets.

"We do not see Pakistan whose population 270 million is left unattended and Bangladesh, for example, the population is not small, 160 million is big market despite surplus but the number is too small, Africa we never look, there is even expo there we do not come. This is routine and never fixed," said the President.

Jokowi reminded the Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita to conduct an evaluation and what should be done in increasing Indonesian exports.

"After the opening (Raker) please, Mr. Minister in detail is evaluated and what to do, do not rally but do not bring up something new and do not come up with new ideas, new ideas so that we can compete with other countries," he said.

The President at the beginning of his speech also warned that economic growth is only driven by two things, namely investment and exports.

"I have repeatedly pointed out that the key economic growth is twofold: how can we increase investment and increase exports, that's nothing else, so the Trade Ministry plays a very important role, especially in terms of exports," he said.

In the opening of this ministerial meeting, several ministers and heads of institutions attended, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution, Mendag Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, Police Chief General (Pol) Tito Karnavian, Chief of Staff of the Presidency General (Ret.) Moeldoko.