Indonesians dazzled by anything Western<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesians are too easily \"dazzled\" by anything
\nWestern, from food, lifestyles to economic and democratic
\nsystems, as if they are all worth copying, a noted scholar says.<\/p>\n
Economist Sri Edi Swasono, who is also the chairman of the
\nIndonesian Cooperative Council, said this trend could eventually
\nwipe out national identity and culture, the Antara news agency
\nreported yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"If we let this go on, then people's sense of nationhood will
\nfurther erode and this in turn will threaten our national
\nresilience,\" he said at a one-day discussion organized by the
\nAssociation of Rhetoric Lovers.<\/p>\n
Sri Edi, a staff lecturer at Jakarta's University of
\nIndonesia's school of economy, said that more and more
\nIndonesians are opting for foreign food in preference over local
\ntraditional fare.<\/p>\n
People are now flocking to fast-food outlets serving Western
\nfood, despite the food, such as hamburger and pizza, being
\nconsidered junk food in the country of origin.<\/p>\n
He recalled that once a Westerner asked him about the decision
\nby Indonesia's airport authorities to screen Western films in the
\nwaiting lounges. \"I replied that Indonesians no longer like
\nlocally made films.\"<\/p>\n
But what is even more worrying is that the Indonesian economy
\nis now also moving towards capitalism and liberalism, he warned.
\n\"The free market system will jeopardize our goal to attain social
\njustice for all the people.\"<\/p>\n
The free market system, he added, discriminates against the
\npoor people because they do not have access to credit facilities.
\nThis is a denial of the people's economic rights. \"The poor
\nwithout purchasing power will be mere spectators. They will
\nalways be outside the economic transaction fences.<\/p>\n
\"The free market economy will eventually hand the private
\nsector and foreign investors those branches of the economy that
\naffect the livelihood of the masses,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sri Edi's remarks add to the growing chorus of scholars and
\npoliticians who questioned Indonesia's decision to push for a
\nfree trade area in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
\nforum by the year 2020.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. Moetojib, the governor of the National Resilience
\nInstitute of the Armed forces, said in his presentation at the
\ndiscussion that all parties must be vigilant against the strong
\ncurrent of economic globalization.<\/p>\n
Moetojib however stressed that Indonesia could not escape the
\neffects of globalization.<\/p>\n
Indonesia should respond to the challenge by sharpening its
\neconomic competitiveness to penetrate, maintain and expand its
\naccess to the world markets.<\/p>\n
Some of Indonesia's age old traditional values are now being
\ntested by the process of globalization. They include the communal
\nculture, religion, traditional family values, respect for elders,
\nsolidarity and the concept of gotong royong (mutual help), he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
These values are being challenged by alien cultures which are
\nmaterialistic and individualistic, he added. (emb)<\/p>",
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