Gus Dur urged to get serious about recovery<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Despite its popular legitimacy, the government
\nof President Abdurrahman Wahid has shown a lack of concern for
\neconomic recovery and made political moves that sowed
\nuncertainty, a legislator and an economist said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a seminar organized by Strategic Intelligence,
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung said that
\nthe main reasons for the delay in capital inflow to revive the
\neconomy was that the national economy was not yet the focus of
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
\"The government does not have the sense of urgency in economic
\nfields. Instead, the President has made statements that further
\nsparked economic uncertainty.\"<\/p>\n
He noted that Abdurrahman's remarks about military coup
\nattempts and differences of opinion between him and the military
\nfostered the perception among foreign investors that the country
\nremained unsafe.<\/p>\n
The government's plan to review business contracts with
\nforeign enterprises which were considered flawed and unrewarding
\nto the country was another contributor to investor jitters, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
He said the President's round of overseas trips to attract
\nforeign investors would be fruitless without stability.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who also heads the Golkar Party, said the government
\ncould not justify the failure of its economic recovery,
\nconsidering that the President had established many boards and
\nappointed domestic and foreign advisers to assist him.<\/p>\n
The government has set up two economic boards -- the National
\nBusiness Development Council led by tycoon Sofyan Wanandi and the
\nNational Economic Council headed by Emil Salim -- and an
\nassistance team for the coordinating minister for the economy,
\nfinance and industry, Kwik Kian Gie.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also appointed former foreign leaders such as
\nHenry Kissinger and Lee Kuan Yew along with Indonesian chief
\neconomist Widjojo Nitisastro as his advisers.<\/p>\n
\"I urge the government to give an all-out effort to revive the
\ncurrent economic condition because it is the basic thing to
\nprevent further social unrest,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Noted economist Sjahrir said that despite Abdurrahman's pledge
\nto put the economic recovery as the main priority of his Cabinet,
\nthe government was sluggish in its efforts.<\/p>\n
\"I do not understand the reasons for establishing many
\neconomic boards ... what are they doing, because it is obvious
\nthat no significant improvements have occurred in the last five
\nmonths,\" Sjahrir said.<\/p>\n
To improve the economic condition, Sjahrir underscored the
\nimportance of law enforcement, especially in solving high-profile
\ngraft cases implicating former president Soeharto and the Bank
\nBali scandal.<\/p>\n
\"If the government could show serious intentions in upholding
\nthe law, foreign investors will give their support.\"<\/p>\n
He said the government was built on full legitimacy and there
\nshould be no reason to delay effecting economic recovery.(dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-urged-to-get-serious-about-recovery-1447893297",
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