The government wants to incorporate jamu — Indonesian traditional herbal medicine — into its healthcare scheme. Under its project, selected doctors would research the effectiveness of jamu to prevent disease or as supplements for medical treatment. The Jakarta Post’s Dina Indrasafitri talked with Charles Saerang, chairman of the Indonesian Herbs and Traditional Medicine Association (GP Jamu), which represents more than a thousand jamu makers, about how the industry is doing amid the dominance of modern medical treatment and how it might benefit from the government’s programs.
Question: How have perceptions of jamu shifted over the years? What is the current state of the industry?
Answer: In the beginning, jamu was used as part of social activities. People used to gather in jamu drinking places to socialize, the way they do over coffee nowadays. However, the issue of jamu has become more complex.
For instance, there are energy drinks and supplements that use elements of jamu, such as ginger and ginseng, in their ingredients. The community has gotten creative. They no longer want to be forced to swallow bitter jamu. It has taken different forms, such as capsules, spa equipment and aromatherapy tools. They are all part
of jamu.
Furthermore, jamu was previously seen merely as something with an invigorating benefit. But now it has curative and (disease treatment) benefits, for example, jamu products that have antioxidants and can manage cholesterol, blood pressure or liver functions.
Nowadays people do yoga or meditate and they use incense to calm their spirits. In that way, herbs are also used. Thus, there are the senses of smell and touch that are stimulated, in the form of massage oils, for example.
I see a trend emerging by 2020 where people move towards spices. In that way, people’s health will benefit from the spices they use in the cooking process.
When did the trend begin?
I think it began in 1985, due to customers’ changing tastes. The community wanted more than basic jamu. Thus, now we have jamu tea, liquid jamu, jamu coffee and so on.
How has the government responded to developments in the industry?
I think that we are currently in trouble. The 1986 regulation on jamu states that we are currently under the authority of the Health Ministry, but we should be under the Trade Ministry or the Industry Ministry.
Perhaps in 1986 it was difficult to grasp what jamu was, since it had been part of the community’s life, so at that time the main concern was to prevent people from drinking the wrong kind of jamu.
However, management of jamu is not only related to health issues. It also concerns other issues, such as trade, human resources and the development of small-scale jamu traders.
For example, let’s say I want to penetrate the Japanese market. I don’t know anything about it or its regulations. That is where the Trade Ministry should play its part.
Lack of guidance and management eventually caused the appearance of illegal jamu and jamu mixed with drugs. Instead of being given guidance, (illegal jamu producers) were closed by force.
The image of jamu as a cultural heritage no longer belongs to the Health Ministry but to the Industry Ministry or Trade Ministry.
So the Health Ministry should no longer regulate jamu?
Of course not. They are still needed, but the Trade Ministry should be the umbrella agency for whatever we do to develop jamu. We need the Health Ministry to prevent the unregulated production of jamu. There should be standards for cleanliness and the like.
The government is engaging in a “jamu scientification” project. However, some medical professionals see jamu as a supplement and not a cure. Will that make the project less effective?
Yes, the Health Ministry has shifted its view from upstream to downstream by trying to apply what is used by the jamu businesspeople under the (ministry’s) research and development division. Instead of figuring it out all over again, they will jump into the use of jamu, which has been consumed for thousands of years.
When will jamu be used as a cure?
Jamu producers are hoping that jamu could be used as a curative medicine but the research and development (division) said that it wants to go step-by-step, with prevention coming first.
Nevertheless, for jamu businesspeople what matters is that at least there is recognition by doctors—that is a step forward. Whether or not it is considered as preventive or curative agent is another matter.
The government must do something so that the projects will not employ products from outside the country. I think multilevel marketing (companies) are already eyeing such programs.
So for me it is good, but the question is: Will it affect the community in its implementation? I hope the government could take advantage of community health centers to promote this...My wish is that the government could increase the people’s awareness and keep them away from illness.
Research in natural resources is inseparable from jamu development. How is this progressing in Indonesia and who should be funding the research?
The government should fund research in cooperation with the private sector. Businesses could buy the research results in the form of five-year patent rights.
What if scientists face difficulties in finding companies to fund their research?
Businesspeople look for certainty when they invest in science, but researchers never think of that. They ask: “How can you expect results in one year? Research takes 10 to 15 years.”
My wish is to have a market for medicinal plant research. The curcuma has been researched by many universities and companies. Why not gather all that research? The government, research institutes and businesses need to work hand-in-hand to get the results of synergy.
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