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ormer state-owned enterprise minister Tanri Abeng has called on the newadministration under President-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to boostthe capacity of micro businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improvepeople's welfare.

Tanri said that current economic policies had failed to empower low-class citizensand businesspeople.

"The government should side with those who have yet to be empowered. Thereare 56 million micro and SME businesspeople, or 97 percent of the country'sworkforce, who are in dire need of government intervention," he said afterattending an Idul Fitri gathering at Jokowi's official residence in Menteng,Central Jakarta, onMonday.

"This is not about being "anti-big business", but about thegovernment's effort to support small businesses. It is because our economy,after all these years, has grown exclusively for middle- and upper-classpeople," he said. (gda)