REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) has called on the government to accord priority to micro, small and medium-scale businesses (UMKM) and local industries while procuring fishing vessels for fishermen.

"The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) will build 3,540 fishing boats for fishermen. In this case, the government should give priority to UMKM ship projects and other local products," Chairman for organizational affairs of the Central Executive Board (BPP) of Himpi, Anggawira, said here on Monday.

He said in case of projects implemented in the past, fishermen could not use many of the government-sponsored ships because these did not meet the specifications that fishermen needed in the regions.

Anggawira said the government should pay heed so that projects are not left vulnerable to be abused by individuals for their personal interest.

"The fishing boat procurement project should be supervised because certain individuals with vested interests have begun to seek ways to exploit it," he said.

Therefore, he said, Hipmi has urged the government to give priority to local products and UMKM and these could be developed to become industries.

Poaching by foreign vessels in Indonesian waters should really be combated as such activities were taking a toll on the national marine and fisheries growth.

"The continuance of foreign vessels will reduce the growth of the marine and fisheries sectors," Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti told a hearing of Commission IV on industry and UMKM affairs of the House of Representatives (DPR) late last month (Jan 27).

The KKP also hoped that foreign vessels would not enter the fishery catch sector as it would reduce fishermen's income and affect their prosperity.

As reported, the KKP will continue to carry out polices focusing on various maritime aspects, including theft of fish besides maintaining resource sustainability and improving people's welfare.

As per data, the KKP's budget structure is based on three pillars of the mission, with 18.9 percent going to the maritime sector, 67.58 percent for sustainability efforts and 14.23 percent for people's prosperity.

The KKP has prepared a budget of Rp13.8 trillion for 2016 with program expenditure of 80 percent for the people and 20 percent for officials.

For the supervision of maritime resources, the KKP allocated Rp1.67 trillion from its budget set in the 2016 State Budget. 

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