Entering the free trade era<\/p>\n
Indonesians, as members of a pluralistic society, may or may
\nnot agree with the International Monetary Fund's reform package.
\nWe are being forced to open ourselves widely to competition from
\nother nations when we are still scarcely prepared in terms of
\nlegal framework and infrastructure. Some of us believe we are
\nbeing forced to compete without any mental preparation
\nwhatsoever.<\/p>\n
When we consider our legal infrastructure, for example, we see
\nthat we still do not have a law to ensure healthy competition, to
\nprotect the consumer, or one against monopolies. How are we
\nexpected to compete fairly when no clear (legal) beacons exist?
\nHow can consumers feel protected when their market position has
\nalways been decided by the producers of goods? Won't the
\nscrapping of Bulog's monopoly merely result in other, private
\nmonopolies because it has always been the same old players who
\nget a part of the action? The warnings given to hoarders, for
\nexample, have only added to the public's confusion because the
\nconcept of "hoarding" has never been clearly defined.<\/p>\n
This is the homework which the executive and legislative
\ninstitutions have to do. For its part, the public too will have
\nits own, no less complicated homework to do. The free trade
\nenvironment which we will be enter in a few days calls for the
\nmental readiness of the whole community, particularly the state
\napparatus.<\/p>\n
So far, there have been many distortions because of the
\npractice of collusion. In this free trade era such practices,
\neven on the smallest scale, will destroy the competitiveness of
\nour national economy and thus hurt us all.<\/p>\n
-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/entering-the-free-trade-era-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }