Amien joins chorus of job creators, plus, plus
Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta
Like the other candidates, Amien Rais and his running mate Siswono Yudo Husodo believe the main problem confronting the nation's economy is unemployment.
They have therefore made job creation their ultimate goal, if elected.
Amien wants to cut the full unemployment figure to 9.3 million people, or 8 percent of the work-age population, by 2009 from last year's 10.13 million or 9.85 percent. This target assumes an average annual economic growth rate of 6.3 percent, up from the 4 percent to 4.5 percent in recent years.
In order to reach their goal, they pledge to create economic policies based on three main guidelines, called "The Trilogy", as follows:
-- Reaching high economic growth by using the domestic market as the main locomotive of growth and human and natural resources as the main capital for sustainable development.
-- Evenly distributing wealth to the people by widening and strengthening the role of common people in economic activities.
-- Maintaining stability in all areas, including macroeconomic indicators, law and order, security and defense, socio-political affairs and the bureaucracy.
The pair further spelled out that their future economic policies would be implemented based on five principles -- to create an equal and productive economic system, a self-reliant economy, a suitable market economy, with strong macroeconomic and microeconomic fundamentals.
The economic platform entitled "Accelerating the Nation's Development" was prepared personally by Amien and Siswono.
Amien, a former chairman of the nation's second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah is considered by many as one of the leading advocates for the promotion of improving the welfare of Muslims, millions of whom continue to live in poverty.
Meanwhile, Siswono, who held several Cabinet posts during the administration of former President Soeharto, including those that handled public housing, transmigration and small and medium enterprises, is currently known as the leading promoter of farmers' and fishermen's interests. He is the chairman of the National Indonesian Farmers Organization (HKTI).
They've also proposed 17 auxiliary economic programs, including one aimed at cutting debt. That will be coupled with efforts to increase taxes, control fiscal deficits, curtail unproductive subsidies and boost the secondary markets for state bonds as a means to diversifying financing sources.
Another program is to reform laws on business and enforce laws on all white-collar criminals.
They will also seek to crack down on such destructive criminal behavior like illegal logging, illegal fishing, illegal sand mining, smuggling, fraudulent importation, piracy and unfair business practices.
They promise to provide budget allocations for labor intensive projects, such as the restoration of slum areas, the development of houses for factory workers, the development of infrastructure in both rural and urban areas as well as the renovation of health and primary education facilities, thereby creating thousands of new jobs.