Jokowi calls for deregulation in e-commerce

During a limited meeting on e-commerce at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday, Jokowi reiterated how Indonesia had huge potential in e-commerce as 93.4 million of its total 250 million population are avid internet users. In 2014 alone, he said, the trade value raised through e-commerce amounted to US$2.6 billion.

The President further said e-commerce could assist 56 million small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which contributed about 55 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

"This huge market potential should not be abandoned. I believe this potential will be the foundation for Indonesia to become the largest digital economy in Southeast Asia. For that, I urge the acceleration of the e-commerce implementation. Otherwise, we will be left behind other countries around us," Jokowi explained.

As an initial step, he further said, Indonesia should build a logistic platform channel system and take measures to strengthen e-commerce actors. The government should prioritize start-ups it would facilitate to get access to the capital needed to grow their business and sustainability.

"We need to make widespread deregulation of the growing e-commerce industry. One thing we should not forget is to give capacity building training, [which is] needed to make e-commerce actors more competent in the business world," he went on.