Amien joins chorus of job creators, plus, plus

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.