Digital Technology Innovation, Pertamina's Weapon to Raise MSMEs during the Pandemic

Jakarta, October 29, 2020 – Digital technology innovation for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) becomes Pertamina's weapon to raise small businesses throughout Indonesia while facing the Covid-19 Pandemic, which has been going on since March 2020.

Vice President of Corporate Communication of Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, said the MSMEs technology innovation done by Pertamina follows President Joko Widodo's guidance to switch to using digital technology. Therefore, they can upgrade, as there are only 13 percent MSMEs that have implemented digital technology.

Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Chairman of the Committee for Handling Covid-19 and National Economic Recovery (PCPEN), Erick Thohir, emphasized that MSMEs are an essential part of the national economy; thus it needs to be fully supported.

"We have to help and fully support MSMEs in order to survive and rise. Pertamina SMEXPO motivates them to remain optimistic in order to survive in any condition. From here, MSMEs also learn so that we can adapt and adjust business patterns in the new normal," said Erick Thohir at the closing of Pertamina SMEXPO 2020, some time ago.

Fajriyah explained that Pertamina SMEXPO 2020 is Pertamina's innovation to boost MSMEs' products to penetrate the domestic market and export to foreign countries. The hope is that MSMEs will remain productive, rise, and even be able to upgrade amid the challenges of Covid-19.

"Pertamina SMEXPO is the first and largest virtual exhibition in Indonesia, presenting 1,780 superior products from 100 Pertamina's fostered MSMEs partners throughout Indonesia. This exhibition also received a MURI record award as a virtual exhibition with the most product choices," explained Fajriyah.

Pertamina SMEXPO bridges MSMEs players to promote their superior products to potential buyers from abroad so that a business agreement occurs. The exhibition, which visitors from 38 countries visited, recorded IDR 9.25 billion business transactions from Saudi Arabia, Australia, Germany, France, Qatar, USA, Singapore, and China.

During the pandemic, continued Fajriyah, Pertamina continued to make digital training innovations for MSMEs players. Until the third quarter of 2020, Pertamina has facilitated as many as 131 digital trainings for MSMEs players throughout Indonesia.

Also, no less than 7000 MSMEs Pertamina Fostered Partners have been registered in the digital synergy-based procurement platform for nine SOEs, namely PaDi BUMN. Pertamina also conducts education through competitions that are carried out entirely online, one of which is the COVIDEA program that challenges Rumah BUMN (RB) instructors to carry out coaching programs that can be implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Pertamina also provides an e-learning application with a curriculum guide that allows MSMEs to take part in digital training while still doing business," added Fajriyah.

In terms of capital, continued Fajriyah, until September 2020, the Pertamina Partnership Program had distributed funds with a value of IDR 181.929 billion. The distribution is targeted for Pertamina MSMEs Fostered Partners in 34 Provinces through 8 Marketing Operation Regions (MOR) and 4 Pertamina Refinery Units (RU) in various areas.

Pertamina has also absorbed MSMEs' products for the Pertamina Peduli program's assistance during the pandemic, with a total purchase of fostered partners' products reaching more than IDR 12.68 billion.

"Pertamina is committed to continuing to encourage and assist MSMEs so that they can survive, grow and develop independently so that they can absorb labor and support national economic growth," concluded Fajriyah.