Basic problems untouched

Basic problems untouched

After a long and uncertain wait, the deregulation measures
that are to be the vanguard of economic efficiency and
improvement have been announced, even though the basic problems
that are encumbering the Indonesian economy have been left
untouched.

In short, the present deregulation measures do not reflect the
government's intent to curb the monopolies and oligopolies which
have so far hampered the growth of the Indonesian economy and
thereby the attainment of the goals delineated in our Development
Trilogy. This creates the impression that the aims specified in
our Broad Outline of State Policy (GHBN) are mere rhetoric and
that the solutions offered do not touch on the basic problems
that beset our national economy.

Moreover, our efforts to attain efficiency cannot be separated
from the eradication of corruption and collusion. Minister of
Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo said as long as there is no
regulation that requires officials to report their personal
wealth before they assume their posts and afterward, all efforts
to achieve efficiency through the eradication of corruption will
be in vain. This means that deregulation efforts should be all-
embracing and on target.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta