JP/6/INTRO

JP/6/INTRO

Both support and opposition have highlighted the journey of
the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), since its inception back in
1993.

Certain sectors of the public support AFTA due to the fact
that AFTA, which aims at stamping out trade barriers within the
region, would expedite the flow of goods and services in the
region, boosting trade growth.

Traders and producers would benefit from AFTA, since it would
expand markets of goods and services. While, consumers would also
benefit from lower prices of goods and services.

However, other parties have demanded that AFTA's
implementation be delayed, because of the perceived harmful
effect it would have on the nation's domestic industries. AFTA
promotes free and open competition, so that the industries which
are not yet ready would fall by the wayside.

As the year 2002 draws to a close, some 90 percent of products
included in AFTA have been put into inclusion lists this year,
but public discourse on its benefits and dangers hasn't waned
yet.

The Jakarta Posts' Fitri Wulandari, Rendi A. Witular, Adianto
Simamora, Dadan Wijaksana and A'an Suryana interviewed people
from all walks of life, to get a comprehensive view on AFTA.