Support, criticism pour in for reform package<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Senior economist Emil Salim said yesterday he
\nwas optimistic the government's economic reform package, to be
\nconducted under the supervision of the International Monetary
\nFund, would give Indonesia a competitive edge necessary to face
\nthe ASEAN Free Trade Area by 2003.<\/p>\n
He supported his remarks by referring to what he called the
\npackage's structural reforms such as the elimination of some
\nmonopoly practices. He also said the elimination of export,
\nforeign investment and trade restrictions would open up trade
\nbetween the provinces. This would help the domestic economy
\nrecover and help create one market.<\/p>\n
\"If we want to enter the global market, there must be one
\nmarket in this country first,\" said Emil, a former cabinet
\nminister.<\/p>\n
He said the government was serious in carrying out the
\nreforms, adding that President Soeharto had showed his
\nwillingness to take personal responsibility for the
\nimplementation.<\/p>\n
He said Soeharto's decision to announce the planned reform
\nhimself and establish the Council for Economic and Monetary
\nResilience constituted the highest political decision in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"This is not mere lip service, or fake. This is serious. In
\n1998 and 1999 there might be some upheavals, but further
\n(implementation of the reforms) will create a healthy domestic
\neconomy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Political observer Arbi Sanit and non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) activists Asmara Nababan and Bambang
\nWidjojanto criticized the reform package for failing to address
\nwhat they believed to be the root of the current predicament -- a
\ncorrupt bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
Speaking separately, they agreed the package might not be
\neffective in restoring confidence in the economy. Arbi Sanit, a
\nlecturer at the University of Indonesia, said the planned reform
\npackage was \"impotent\" and had failed to impress housewives, let
\nalone the market and businesspeople.<\/p>\n
\"Just look at the fall of the rupiah when the package was
\nannounced,\" Arbi said.<\/p>\n
It was reported the rupiah fell to 8,900 against the U.S.
\ndollar from Thursday's close of 8,025 as banks bought up the
\ngreenback in early trading yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The current crisis is political in nature, not purely
\neconomic as what our leaders and the IMF said it had been,\" Arbi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that not only did economic matters have to be
\naddressed, but also bureaucratic and political reforms.<\/p>\n
\"How can we expect to have an efficient state budget if the
\nbureaucrats and rulers corrupt the development budget?\"<\/p>\n
He said one example of reform needed was in the five laws that
\ngovern Indonesian politics today, which many people believe
\nprevents the political parties from effectively supervising the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Asmara Nababan, the executive secretary of the International
\nNGO Forum on the Indonesian Government (INFID), said the reform
\npackage failed to address corruption.<\/p>\n
\"It did not... show that the government seriously intends to
\neradicate corruption, something that has led to so much
\ninefficiency here,\" said Nababan.<\/p>\n
\"How can you restore people's confidence if you don't show
\nthat you seriously want to create a clean government?\"<\/p>\n
Nababan said that in November last year the IMF jointly
\nannounced with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in
\nHong Kong, their crusade against corruption and collusion.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto, the chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nFoundation, said he doubted the IMF-sponsored reform package
\nwould help the country out of the crisis as enforcement remains
\none of the problems in the country.<\/p>\n
\"The economic reform package is still instituted on paper, but
\nwe don't know whether it will be fully implemented,\" Bambang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Separately, Vice President Try Sutrisno called on the nation
\nto work shoulder to shoulder to enable the country to free itself
\nfrom the bitter economic crisis.<\/p>\n
He urged wealthy people not to be greedy and selfish but ready
\nto make sacrifices for the progress of the nation.<\/p>\n
\"Those who have the power and authority are expected to use
\ntheir power to realize justice and truth,\" Try told former
\nstudent leaders in commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of
\nTritura, or People's Three Demands.<\/p>\n
In 1966, student leaders demanded then President Sukarno ban
\nthe Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), dissolve the cabinet and
\nlower the price of basic commodities.<\/p>\n
\"We commemorate this anniversary in an atmosphere of
\nconcern... especially when we are facing the monetary upheaval
\nwhich has affected the real sector, and even caused a crisis of
\nconfidence, which actually should not have happened,\" Try said.
\n(09\/10\/aan\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/support-criticism-pour-in-for-reform-package-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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