Eighteen of November is a
historical day for the people of Bengkulu, because thirty-eight years ago,
precisely on November 18, 1981 Bengkulu became a new province in Indonesia, as
the result of area expansion apart from southern Sumatra province (Sumbagsel).
As part of Bengkulu society, multicultural program of Stube-HEMAT invited
several students to analyze the dynamics of economic field in Bengkulu.
Only few studies on world
economic recession in 2020 were done even at national level, even though there
is also prediction that Indonesia will also face it. It is also the same in
Bengkulu, not many communities or organizations discuss about economic. It drove
Stube-HEMAT to make a discussion along with the momentum of the Bengkulu
anniversary with a theme ‘51 Years of Bengkulu Province, The Development and
Progress of Economic’ on November 28, 2019 at Kenrich café, Bengkulu.
Facilitated by Esti
Pasaribu, one of the Economic faculty lecturers at Universitas Bengkulu (UNIB),
the discussion was started by an introduction of Stube-HEMAT by the
Multiplicator of Stube HEMAT in Bengkulu, Yohanes Dian Alpasa, S.Si. It is
important information for the participants because it is the first time to
attend Stube-HEMAT activity.
Esti as the igniter started the discussion by
explaining that Bengkulu province is the second poorest province in Sumatera.
Further, she explained the reason why Bengkulu is still in poverty. It is because
of the inability of Bengkulu to produce goods and people of Bengkulu tend to be
cunsumptive rather than productive. It is correspond with 10 economics
principles used as science in economics field from Prof. Manque, where number 8
stated that the standard of living of a country depends on the services and
production.
An interesting phenomenon
occurred in Bengkulu is low Regional Minimum Wage (UMR) with relatively high of
living cost. Normally, high UMR is followed by high life cost, as in Batam, or low
UMR is followed by low life cost, such as in Yogyakarta. The recent data of
Indonesian Institute of Sciences stated that the increase of economic growth in
Bengkulu is around 5.06% from 4%, but there are still many gaps and poverty in
society. It occured due to investment coming through some investors that make the
economy growth itself, however, only a small portion of profits flew to
Bengkulu and more rushed to investors instead. This will simply increase
statistic data on economic growth. However, if such case continues, then the gap
will keep lasting.
Although the discussion
lasted quite a long time, the participants remained enthusiastic because additionally
the discussion invited a practitioner, namely Madison, a 5th semester student
of Economics faculty who ran coconut oil business. Esti explained that one of
the real examples to change the poverty level in Bengkulu is transforming the
paradigm of Bengkulu society from consumptive to production agent, namely
producing goods, as what Madison did. Then, Madison explained his business of
coconut oil production, called VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil), which had begun since
4th semester using his own money and based on the fact that Bengkulu produces
abundant coconut and has not been produced to other products. Coconut as the
main ingredient of VCO is purchased from people near the coast to increase
economic growth of the people there. VCO, which was originally only pure
coconut oil can be used as various products, such as drinks, hair oil and
coconut chips. As a form of development, Madison and his colleagues assisted by
one of the UNIB lecturers will build a credit union with one village in
Bengkulu to make VCO as one of the home-based business for the villagers. This
collaboration will be completed in December 2019 until January 2020.
The discussion ended with
a conclusion and motivation from each participant that they will become a part
of the production actors and no longer consumptive. (YM)
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