Ref: Apakah NKRI tidak lagi berpolitik untuk menciptakan lapangan kerja dan mengatasi kemiskinan dan oleh karena itu diperankan kepada sektor privat?
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/private-sector-needs-to-take-the-lead-to-tackle-job-creation-poverty-reduction/569777 Private Sector Needs to Take the Lead to Tackle Job Creation, Poverty Reduction Sarvesh Suri | February 06, 2013 Six hundred million is a staggering number. Yet, that’s how many new jobs the world needs by 2020 just to keep up with its surging population. And about two-thirds of those jobs need to be created in Asia – that’s some 25 million jobs a year. Globally, about 200 million people are unemployed today and a majority of them are women and young people living in developing countries. Without jobs, they can’t fend for themselves or their families. The result: continued poverty, and social and economic unrest. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the unemployment rate in Indonesia in February 2012 reached 6.32 percent, which means about 7.6 million people are without jobs. According to a jobs study released in January by the International Finance Corporation, an investment unit of the World Bank, the private sector provides 9 out of every 10 jobs. Therefore, it must be a key part of any lasting solution for job creation and poverty reduction. The IFC report identifies four main obstacles that impede job growth in the private sector: a weak investment climate, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises, and insufficient training and skills. Micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can generate the most jobs in developing countries, including Indonesia. They contribute significantly to the economy and can help create a bigger middle class and improve social stability. What they need is support in financing and other assistance to grow their businesses and to realize their full potential. According to an IFC survey on Indonesia’s SME banking sector, 77 percent of the financial institutions polled believe small and medium enterprises are an important source of business, but most banks only offer one product to them. The survey also finds that only about 30 percent of these smaller businesses in Indonesia have access to finance. The jobs study states that women and youth are two groups that face specific employment challenges. Young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed, while women are often forced to take poorly paid and insecure jobs. Female entrepreneurs also play an important role in the Indonesian economy. According to the Indonesian Women’s Business Association, more than 30 percent of Indonesia’s SMEs are owned and run by women. Yet, more than 90 percent of these women use their own savings to establish their businesses because a third of them have trouble borrowing from banks. Comparatively, only a quarter of men report the same problem. Improving infrastructure is another factor critical for job creation in Indonesia. The country’s economic growth has increased the need for more infrastructure projects: new roads, better water utilities and a reliable power supply. The Indonesian government has recognized the significant role of the private sector to finance infrastructure; the public sector can only absorb a small part of the $150 billion needed. Going forward, the private sector will have to play an even bigger role in building infrastructure to benefit more people that are moving into the cities and create jobs for them. In terms of improving Indonesia’s investment climate, the government has taken some steps to reduce red tape, such as introducing the one-stop shops for business licensing to simplify and speed up the procedures. These one-stop shops are now in most cities and provinces across Indonesia, but the challenge is to ensure that they are delivering the services they are supposed to provide. Governments, the private sector, and development institutions such as the IFC need to work hand in hand to improve investment climate, infrastructure and access to finance as well as address skills gaps among workers. Only by working together can we tackle the global issue of unemployment. Sarvesh Suri is country manager at IFC Indonesia, an investment unit of the World Bank. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
