Yuki Nugrahawan Hanafi, Acting Chairman of Kadin Indonesia, said that the handling of stunting or growth failure cannot be separated from the influence of the level of empowerment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

According to him, these two things are closely related because stunting occurs in line with the economic level of the regional community.

"Handling stunting and increasing entrepreneurship are two things for us to achieve Golden Indonesia 2045," said Yuki in an exclusive interview with Tribun Network News Director Febby Mahendra Putra at the Tribun Network Office, Palmerah, Jakarta, Tuesday (24/10/2023).

Yuki emphasised the importance of collaborating with Kadin's thematic work in the management led by Arsjad Rasjid.

"It is inclusive but must also be progressive in accordance with developments," he explained.

Kadin Indonesia itself has four main pillars in encouraging the reduction of stunting rates while increasing MSME players.

The four pillars include handling health problems, sustainability, entrepreneurship or MSMEs and internal consolidation.

As the parent organisation of the business world, Kadin tries to be in line with the government in alleviating stunting where there is already Presidential Regulation Number 72 of 2021.

According to Yuki, this is very supportive, facilitating and creating MSME players to be able to upgrade.

"So not only focus on handling stunting but how we can empower the regional economy. That is also a key word," he said.

"We don't want to be trapped in the middle income trap but for me these two things are very fundamental. Stunting is one of them, how do we want to prosper if there are still things we need to work on," said Yuki.

Kadin itself has a special programme to empower MSMEs called Wiki Wirausaha as a platform for them to connect with the outside world.

Many young people have joined. In fact, his party has also signed an MoU with one of the countries so that they can export their products.

"There are planting products, there are products that are really MSMEs. I got goosebumps because this is still our homework together," said Yuki.

Yuki added that this stunting problem can be solved by working together.

"This is extraordinary, it is our shared responsibility. Our responsibility together can reach the target. And I agree that it starts with ourselves," he explained.

With Kadin's experience during Covid-19 and in handling stunting, pentahelix collaboration is a step that must be taken.

Yuki also encourages micro-entrepreneurs to increase their competitiveness so that the gap with medium and large businesses can continue to be suppressed.

"We also see that the business gap is still quite far. We want to take advantage of the demographic bonus and respond carefully. We have big goals, one of which is stunting, which we must encourage and resolve together," he said.

"We must encourage MSMEs to upgrade, I always call it optimistic but we also have to be realistic," said Yuki.

Kadin Indonesia believes the government's target of reducing the stunting rate by 14 per cent by 2024 can be achieved.

The momentum of the Youth Pledge on 28 October 2023 should generate a sense of optimism in the younger generation to solve the stunting problem.

"The issue of stunting is not just an economic dimension, but it is also very broad, there is culture there, there is political ideology too. I think we must have a commitment there. And MSMEs are the key to solving stunting," he concluded.

Reported from tribunnews.com