President Jokowi: SOE Must Become Locomotive to Move National Economy

President Jokowi leads limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta (29/2)

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on Monday (29/2) at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, led a limited cabinet meeting on state-owned enterprises (SOE).

In his introductory remarks, the President encouraged state-owned enterprises to take a bigger role to become the ‘locomotive’ to move national economy.

“We also hope that state-owned enterprises are not only profit-oriented but also have many multiplier effects that contribute to people’s welfare,” the President said, adding that state-owned enterprises are also expected to expand to other countries.

The President added that since six months ago, he has given time for state-owned enterprises to study the road map to become state-owned enterprises that are strong, agile and dare to compete in the increasingly more competitive era.

“I have asked for the design and the road map in the form of a super holding or holding or it can begin with a virtual holding,” the President said.

In order to implement them all, the President asserted that state-owned enterprises must immediately make quick moves so that the strength and agility of state-owned enterprises can be realized, especially in facing the ASEAN Economic Community.

In formulating those restructuring steps, President Jokowi said that state-owned enterprises must know their business focus and do the ‘organization rightsizing’ as well asmake total changes of the work ethics.

“With those measures, I believe that our state-owned enterprises will have strong competitiveness in the global competition, including in the framework of the ASEAN Economic Community,” the President added.

Also attending the meeting were, among others, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Resources Rizal Ramli, Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Health Nila Moeloek, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Manpower Hanif Dhakiri, Minister of Industry Saleh Husin, Minister of Trade Thomas Lembong, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said, and Minister of the Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya. (DID/SM/EN)(EP/YM/Naster)