'People-oriented-economy' needed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Noted economist Sri Edi Swasono said yesterday
\nthat the reform era and the economic crisis had served to provide
\nan appropriate impetus for Indonesia to develop a populist
\neconomy.<\/p>\n
The University of Indonesia professor told a discussion held
\nby alumnae of Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University that the
\ncurrent export-oriented system, maintained for 32 years by former
\npresident Soeharto, had proved unsustainable and resulted in the
\nprolonged crisis.<\/p>\n
\"The economic collapse has brought a new awareness of how
\nimportant a people-oriented economy is,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the worst sin committed by the New Order regime under
\nSoeharto was the establishment of an economy dominated by a small
\ngroup of people, which caused the gap between rich and poor to
\nwiden considerably.<\/p>\n
He said the gap was a serious threat to national unity and
\nsaid the explosive power which the gap could unleash \"became a
\nreality in May, when riots rocked several cities in the country.\"<\/p>\n
Bungaran Saragih from Bogor Institute of Agriculture also
\nspoke out in support of a people-oriented economy, the enemies of
\nwhich he said were idle megaprojects, mega-companies and hi-tech
\nindustries.<\/p>\n
\"Those enemies should be quashed,\" Bungaran said.<\/p>\n
The previous administration, he said, had established \"mega-
\ncompanies and encouraged megaprojects, except Megawati
\n(Soekarnoputri).\"<\/p>\n
The government also adopted the wrong approach to
\nindustrialization, he said, which had resulted in the majority of
\npeople failing to benefit from increasing development.<\/p>\n
\"Industrialization has failed to improve the people's
\nwelfare,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He cited the one million hectare farming project in Central
\nKalimantan, which is under threat of total failure as a result of
\npoor harvests and the monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
Bungaran proposed that the agribusiness industry and
\ncooperatives be developed to meet domestic demand for food and
\nsaid this would help insure the country against future shortages
\nof basic commodities.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta's traditional monarch Sultan Hamengkubowono X, who
\nopened the meeting, said a new economic system which empowered
\nthe majority should be laid in place.<\/p>\n
He said that a social-market economy needed the government to
\nact as a facilitator and to guarantee the people their economic,
\ndemocratic and human rights.<\/p>\n
He said that reform in the political field should be pushed
\nforward to create a civil society and to uphold democracy. (rms)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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