UNAIR NEWS – Facing the uncertain global economic situation amidst the trade war and health crisis, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Dr. (HC) Ir. Airlangga Hartanto, MBA., MMT., IPU., attended a public lecture with students at Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR).
The public lecture took place at the Fadjar Notonagoro Hall, Faculty of Economics and Business, UNAIR, on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The main theme of the event was "The Direction of Indonesia's Future Economic Development in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Development.".
UNAIR Rector Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih, SE., MT, Ak., CMA in his remarks revealed UNAIR's serious steps to continue to be involved in the national economy through the teaching industry .
"We are currently developing a teaching industry in Madura. This is of course to accommodate and enhance the innovation of our students. After all, universities are the primary venue for innovation development and stable economic development," said Prof. Nasih.
In his opening remarks, Airlangga highlighted the current uncertainty in the global economy, with nearly every country experiencing economic growth below the global average.
"Many events have had a significant impact on the global economy. The weakening of the European Union due to Brexit, East Asia heating up due to the Japan-Korea rivalry, hyperinflation in Latin America, and most recently, the coronavirus, which has weakened the tourism and automotive sectors, as well as the Asian economy," said Airlangga.
Although these events had a negative impact on the economic growth of many countries, Airlangga revealed that they had a positive impact on the Indonesian economy.
Amidst this uncertainty, Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, has emerged as the most stable region. This is due to several key factors, including a strong democratic climate, the emergence of Indo-Pacific cooperation, and ongoing multilateral relations between countries.
"As a result, we can see Indonesia's exchange rate remaining stable at thirteen thousand six hundred, as well as stable economic growth at around five percent. Furthermore, our inflation has reached its lowest level in recent years, around three percent," he said.
However, despite these achievements, the government still has a significant amount of work to complete. These include low labor absorption, low inclusiveness, increased innovation, and protection for workers and the MSME industry.
"That's why we're introducing the Omnibus Law and the pre-employment card. The Omnibus Law itself will be a structural reform of Indonesia's economy and employment. There will be many simplifications and conveniences for investment, business, land acquisition, and employment," said Airlangga.
Meanwhile, the pre-employment card offers core programs such as training, job placement , and business capital. It also includes the B30 program, which reduces fuel consumption and shifts to palm oil.
Airlangga then highlighted the significant skills gap in Indonesia. This prevents many high school and vocational school graduates from being absorbed into industry. Going forward, the government plans to establish polytechnics, vocational schools, and training institutions tailored to the growing industries in the respective regions.
"Furthermore, we will build connectivity within economic zones, integrate the northern and southern regions, and implement flagship programs in special economic zones such as Malang, Central Java, and Madura," he said.
The public lecture, held in the Fadjar Notonagoro Hall, was attended by various university and government officials. In addition, no fewer than 800 students from various departments participated in the presentation by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs. (*)
Author: Intang Arifia
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
Also read: https://ekon.go.id/publikasi/detail/61/perkuat-politik-per