Gov’t Disburses Cash Capital Assistance to Micro, Small Businesses

Distribution of working capital assistance for micro and small businesses, on Friday (8/1), at the Bogor Presidential Palace Yard, West Java. (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat/Kris)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Friday (8/1) distributed working capital assistance for micro and small businesses to 50 beneficiaries in Bogor.

“COVID-19 pandemic has affected 215 countries worldwide including Indonesia. Micro and small businesses are also experiencing hard times since their income dropped sharply due to the impacts of the pandemic,” President Jokowi told MSME players on the occasion of capital assistance disbursement which is held by strictly following the health protocols, at the Bogor Presidential Palace Yard, West Java.

For that reason, he called on the MSME players to keep working hard and never give up following a drop in their business turnover. He also told them to keep running their businesses until the situation returns to normal and to use the cash assistance to increase their business capital.

For the record, each beneficiary of the working capital assistance will receive Rp2.4 million per month.

Also on that occasion, the President expressed belief that Indonesia will recover soon from the pandemic through discipline in adhering to health protocols and implementation of vaccination program.

He reminded the public to always wear face masks, frequently wash hands, maintain safe distance, and avoid crowds.

Regarding vaccination program, 182 million of Indonesian people will receive two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, in order to achieve herd immunity. The vaccination will commence once Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is issued by the Indonesian Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) followed by the issuance of halal fatwa from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

President Jokowi invited the public to participate in the free vaccination program so that Indonesia will be able to reach herd immunity against COVID-19 once 70 percent of its population receives the vaccine. (FID/UN) (RAS/MMB)