President Jokowi Authorizes BKPM to Oversee Business Permits

In a bid to improve Indonesia’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has authorized the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to oversee all business permits, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung has said.

“Cabinet Secretariat has sent a letter to the BKPM, conveying direction of the President that the authority of business permit is now the responsibility of the BKPM,” the Cabinet Secretary said in a press conference after attending a Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Acceleration of Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Thursday (21/11).

With full authority given to Head of the BKPM, Pramono added, the BKPM is expected to carry out reforms to ensure Indonesia can break into top 50 of the Ease of Doing Business index in 2021 and to continue improving the country’s ranking in order to reach top 40.

The President has also instructed his Ministers to revoke 40 ministerial regulations considered to hamper investment and improvement of Ease of Doing Business index by the end of December, Pramono added.

Cabinet Secretary also cited an example of business permits of fishing vessels. The President, he added, has said that the fishing vessels licensing process should be centralized; thus, investors do not need to go to Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Ministry of Transportation or other government ministries.

“(The process of obtaining business permits) should be centralized. We cannot move forward if the obstacles within the Government still prevail,” Pramono said. (FID/JAY/ES)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Ersan Pamungkas