Buy local products: Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): One way of safeguarding Indonesia from the
\nimpacts of free trade is for its citizens to support its own
\nindustry and buy locally made products.<\/p>\n
In his end of the year speech broadcast nationwide on
\nSaturday, President Soeharto reiterated that Indonesia cannot but
\njoin in the global trend towards free trade, whether it likes it
\nor not, or whether it is ready or not.<\/p>\n
The country's industry must move to strengthen its
\ncompetitiveness so that it can compete against foreign suppliers
\nwhether abroad or at home, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, let's all love domestic products,\" Soeharto
\nsaid. \"This would provide tremendous support for the domestic
\nindustry. It is the new spirits of catching up in progress, of
\ntogetherness and of nationalism that we have to take with us upon
\nentering the new year.\"<\/p>\n
Soeharto was widely accredited for pushing the Asia Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation (APEC) forum to agree on a 2020 deadline to
\nestablish free trade in the region at the APEC leadership meeting
\nwhich he hosted in Bogor, West Java, in November.<\/p>\n
There ins another reason why Soeharto moved to rekindle the
\nspirit of nationalism of the people of Indonesia in his speech on
\nSaturday -- 1995 marks Indonesia's 50th independence anniversary.<\/p>\n
\"We have strengthened the Unitary State of the Republic of
\nIndonesia, its unity and sovereignty ... If tomorrow morning we
\nbegin to prepare for a series of activities to mark the half
\ncentury of this republic, that means that we are reinvigorating a
\nthe spirit of our body as a nation.\"<\/p>\n
Reviewing 1994, Soeharto said nature had not been kind to
\nIndonesia during the year. A series of natural disasters killed
\nmany, wreaking untold destruction, as a severe, prolonged dry
\nseason left many parts of the archipelago without water.<\/p>\n
The nation managed to overcame these disasters to the best
\nof its capability. \"Of course, there wasn't much that we could
\nhave done to prevent or contain the dry season or the disasters.
\nThey are part of nature,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
\"There are always lessons to be learned from this
\nexperience. We have become even more conscious that our life is
\nclosely tied to nature.\"<\/p>\n
He said the people and the government should jointly bear
\nthe responsibility for protecting the environment and the
\nnation's precious natural resources.<\/p>\n
In politics, Soeharto considered 1994 a year of
\nconsolidation for many political and mass organizations in the
\ncountry. \"We are concerned that if these consolidation efforts
\nare disrupted, this will affect the rate of national development.<\/p>\n
Soeharto also said the Indonesian economy performed quite
\nwell in 1994.<\/p>\n
He said the economic growth rate exceeded the 6.2 percent
\ntargeted for the year, and although inflation remained high, it
\nwas kept below 10 percent.<\/p>\n
The industrial sector showed a reasonable development but
\nagriculture slowed down because of the prolonged dry season.
\nIndonesia's non-oil exports, which fell in the beginning of the
\nyear made impressive gains in the closing months. Imports rose
\nbut this was largely prompted by the increase in investment
\ncommitments by local and foreign companies. Indonesia's foreign
\nexchange reserves also increased to a level capable of financing
\nup to five months of imports.<\/p>\n
The stock markets also showed encouraging development during
\nthe year, reflecting both the confidence of investors and the
\nincreasing efficiency of the bourses.<\/p>\n
\"Overall, I can say that the economic forces in our society
\nhave continued to grow and are capable of tapping every
\nopportunity presented to them,\" Soeharto said. (emb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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