Experts propose blueprint for economic recovery
Experts propose blueprint for economic recovery
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Association for a New Indonesia (PIB) on Thursday
presented an economic blueprint to the Second Ad-Hoc Committee of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) that it is hoped could
serve as a comprehensive guide for the country's economic
recovery process.
Noted economist and PIB coordinator Sjahrir said the blueprint
was designed to enable the government to get "focused" so that
the economic recovery process could be accelerated.
"We will provide the government with basic economic and
financial policy covering various aspects such as the budget,
banking and manpower," Sjahrir told a press conference.
The PIB hoped the economic plan could be enshrined by the MPR
in a decree at next month's annual session.
Sjahrir said that under the blueprint, all economic
institutions would have to boost their performances to speed up
the economic recovery process.
He said that the move was prompted by fears over the impact of
the global economic slump on the domestic economy, particularly
in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
He said the series of U.S. military strikes on Afghanistan and
the anti-U.S. rallies at home had disrupted the economic recovery
process.
Fellow economist Pande Radja Silalahi elaborated that a new
economic plan was needed because the country was facing tough
challenges.
"We hope all elements from the executive, legislature and the
judiciary will get involved in the recovery process," he added.
Pande said that if the country was too late in anticipating
the rapidly changing situation, the consequences would be even
more severe.
The economic plan, titled "Basic economic and financial
policies for the reconstruction and recovery of the national
economy" comprises 13 chapters and 38 articles.
According to the association, the role of the state in
economic affairs must be limited to facilitation and regulation.
"Ownership and implementation functions must be in the hands
of society," it said in the draft.
Touching on the asset restructuring program, the PIB
recommends the setting up of a commission to monitor the
performance of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency and to
prevent corruption.
Concerning state expenditure, the government is urged to boost
efficiency, and should focus on fulfilling the basic needs of the
public, including health and education requirements, and food
security.
To allow the PIB economic plan to work, one crucial
requirement would be for the state apparatus to have a simple and
efficient structure, and for officials and functionaries to have
clear job descriptions.
In the meantime, Ad-Hoc Committee chairman Rambe Kamarul Zaman
said he was unable to say whether the economic blueprint would be
adopted by the assembly because it would require the approval of
eleven factions.