KADIN expected to play active role in ASEAN integration drive<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda wants input from the
\nIndonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) on the
\ndevelopment of policy on the planned integration of Southeast
\nAsian economies, as stipulated in the Bali Concord II.<\/p>\n
\"The full integration of ASEAN is a challenge faced by both
\nthe government and businesspeople. This is where the
\nbusinesspeople should answer the call to provide input because in
\nthe end it will be them running the field,\" said Hassan after a
\nspeech during a one-day meeting of the foreign division of KADIN
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
KADIN was holding its last working meeting before setting up a
\nnew directorship on Feb. 20. The meeting was to provide a frame
\nof reference for Indonesia's trade and industry relations with
\nforeign countries, in anticipation of the implementation of the
\nBali Concord II.<\/p>\n
\"KADIN must play a more active role in providing
\nrecommendations to the legislature, remembering that Indonesia
\nwill be much occupied by the general election this year,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Hassan said an assessment of the action plans for the further
\nimplementation of the economic integration would be conducted
\nsome time in November 2004.<\/p>\n
The Bali Concord II, which is also known as the Declaration of
\nthe ASEAN Concord, was signed in October last year in Bali by the
\nleaders of the 10 ASEAN members.<\/p>\n
One of the 10 key points in the agreement is that the ASEAN
\nCommunity will be established on the basis of political, security
\ncooperation, economic and sociocultural cooperation among its
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
Under the economic cooperation plan, ASEAN economies are
\nexpected to be integrated in a European-style single market by
\n2020, with an accelerated schedule in some key economic sectors.<\/p>\n
Hassan added that economic cooperation offered the important
\nprospect of creating a single market of over 500 million people.<\/p>\n
KADIN head Aburizal Bakrie asserted that Indonesia should take
\nadvantage of globalization because the country's economy was
\nstill moving at a snail's pace.<\/p>\n
He said full economic integration for ASEAN would benefit
\nIndonesia's exports.<\/p>\n
\"Our export portion is only 0.9 percent of total world
\nexports, putting us behind Malaysia and Thailand. ASEAN economic
\ncooperation will definitely boost our exports,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rizal, who is also a presidential candidate, is confident
\nabout Indonesia's ability to compete with China and Thailand,
\nsaying Indonesia is a very open market.<\/p>\n
Economist Pande Radja Silalahi, who was among the speakers at
\nthe meeting, said that in order to achieve such economic
\naccomplishments, Indonesia must first \"cleanse itself\".<\/p>\n
\"There are three concerns that investors have about Indonesia
\n-- inconsistent policies, law and taxation.<\/p>\n
\"Besides that, the alarming level of corruption and our
\nbureaucracy put us at a disadvantage. If we can tidy these things
\nup, I believe we can compete with Singapore,\" he affirmed.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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