Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia is drafting rules to protect micro and small businesses on e-commerce platforms, including a proposed 50 percent discount on marketplace service fees, as merchants face rising operating costs.MSMEs Minister Maman Abdurrahman raised the issue in response to fee increases across several online marketplaces that small businesses say are becoming burdensome.”We have received widespread feedback that administrative, promotional and other marketplace fees continue to rise, increasing costs for MSMEs,” Maman said in Jakarta on Wednesday.He said the ministry is preparing a regulation on MSME protection in digital platforms to create a fairer business environment and strengthen competitiveness.Maman said the regulation is not intended to interfere with marketplaces' authority to set fees or pricing structures.Instead, it is aimed at supporting and protecting MSMEs operating within Indonesia's digital economy.As part of the proposal, Maman called for marketplaces to provide a 50 percent discount on service fees for micro and small enterprises.He said the reduction would help ease the financial burden on merchants facing multiple charges on digital platforms.The ministry is also seeking greater business certainty through marketplace contracts, including a requirement for at least three months' notice before fee changes take effect.According to Maman, advance notice would help merchants plan operations and manage cash flow more effectively.He said marketplaces and MSMEs should strengthen each other because both are integral parts of the digital economy.”If marketplaces collapse, MSMEs will suffer. If MSMEs collapse, marketplaces will also be affected. This ecosystem must remain fair,” he said.Maman added that the government is coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure policies support the sustainability of millions of MSMEs selling through digital platforms.