Air Force One?<\/p>\n
Some three years after the Asian economic crisis first hit
\nthis country around the middle of 1997, Indonesians can now
\nrightfully say that things appear to have started to look up a
\nlittle.<\/p>\n
Underlining the optimism, the country's central bank, Bank
\nIndonesia, on Wednesday said the country's gross domestic product
\n(GDP) growth for the year could reach 3 percent to 4 percent, or
\neven higher.<\/p>\n
\"In general,\" the bank's statement said, \"the board of
\ngovernors is of the opinion that the macroeconomic indicators
\nreveal quite substantial positive developments up to August 2000.
\nThe economic recovery is continuing and economic activity is
\ngrowing.\" The statement cites a string of indicators in support
\nof its optimistic assessment of the country's economy.<\/p>\n
Encouraged perhaps by such optimism, it seems that the
\ngovernment considers it time for Indonesia to start looking to
\nbuy an aircraft for the exclusive use of its President.<\/p>\n
\"In foreign countries, it is common that a president has his
\nown presidential plane, like the U.S. president, who travels on
\nAir Force One,\" presidential palace protocol chief Wahyu Muryadi
\ntold reporters traveling in the President's entourage to the
\nUnited Nations Millennium Summit in New York this week.<\/p>\n
The purchase of such an aircraft, Wahyu argues, would ease
\ndemands on Garuda Indonesia, the national carrier, whose planes
\nthe President uses at present for his frequent international
\ntrips and which must adjust its flight schedules every time the
\nPresident travels.<\/p>\n
Boeing has offered a B737-800 aircraft at a cost of around
\nUS$50 million to $60 million for purchase by the Indonesian
\ngovernment. That is why the President, before traveling on to New
\nYork, met with the chairman of Boeing, Phil Condit, during a
\nrefueling stop in Seattle.<\/p>\n
To a certain extent, of course, Wahyu's argument is valid
\nenough. In the 11 months that he has been in office, President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid has traveled to more countries than any of his
\npredecessors have in the entire span of their often decades-long
\ntenure. It is also true that when not in use by the President,
\nthe aircraft could be lent to Garuda or chartered out to others.<\/p>\n
What has been left out of the argument is that Indonesia's
\neconomy is still far from full recovery. In fact, of all the
\ncountries affected by the Asian economic crisis, this country is
\nnot only the worst hit, it also remains the farthest away from
\nfull recovery.<\/p>\n
With a total foreign debt burden of US$150 billion -- $85
\nbillion in government debt and $65 billion in private debt --
\nstill outstanding, it will probably take a few generations of
\nIndonesians to repay their financial obligations. Compare that,
\nsay, to Malaysia's $6 billion in foreign debt and the seriousness
\nof the Indonesian situation will become immediately apparent.<\/p>\n
In addition, a host of tasks that require immediate attention
\n-- from bank restructuring to establishing clean governance --
\nstill have to be accomplished. Though it may be true that the
\nindicators are promising, this is not yet the time to overly
\nindulge in optimism. Besides, there is still the political factor
\nstanding in the way of speedy economic recovery.<\/p>\n
In brief, it is difficult under the circumstances to blame
\ncritics for greeting the government's intended purchase of an
\n\"Air Force One\" of its own with cynicism and acrid comment. To
\nthe masses of Indonesians, it must seem as if the government has
\nlost its sense of priority.<\/p>\n
Rather than going ahead with this absurd plan, the government
\nhad better put its money and energy into the far more urgent task
\nof accomplishing economic, political and administrative reform --
\nwhich to all too many Indonesians now must seem to be going
\nnowhere.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/air-force-one-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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