Nation told to be ready for free trade
Nation told to be ready for free trade
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto reminded Indonesians yesterday that they must be ideologically prepared to face the trade liberalization set by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum for 2020, because the trend is inexorable.
"We must be prepared technologically, ideologically, politically, economically, socially and culturally", he said.
Leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum agreed in Bogor in November to comprehensive trade liberalization in the region by the year 2020.
Soeharto was speaking at the opening of a training course on Pancasila ideology for senior officials. He reminded the officials that, apart from the reforms under the Bogor declaration, Indonesia must also prepare itself for the advent of the ASEAN Free Trade Area, between now and 2003.
The Pancasila course, which will last until April, will discuss the latest developments in the fields of science, politics, economics, sociology, culture, defense and security.
Soeharto confirmed that under the Bogor declaration this country will have to enter the markets of advanced countries no later than 2010.
"We will also have to be ready to open our door to the products and services of industrialized countries no later than 2020", Soeharto said.
He added that "It doesn't matter whether you want it or not, whether you like it or not, or whether you are prepared for it or not: we have to enter the international free trade system."
Soeharto said that all new Indonesian policies, strategies and laws should be consistent with free trade.
According to the President, many sections of society had begun to doubt the reality and legality of Indonesia's commitment under the Bogor declaration.
He said some of the doubts were based on technical grounds, while others flowed from ideological positions.
According to the head of state some people have also raised questions about Indonesia's technical and professional ability to meet the new challenge.
They apparently have little faith in the ability of Indonesians, with their limited education and lack of experience in facing tight competition, to cope with the era of globalization and openness, the President said.
Others had asked whether Indonesian participation in liberalized trade and free investment would lead this nation to accept liberalism, he continued.
He said all these questions should be answered by "handling the problems in a very essential way".
"We will accept this challenge without a grain of doubt while we still have time to make the necessary preparation for the program", he added.
Touching on the Pancasila course, Soeharto said that it involved open exchanges of ideas, to enable the participants to implement the state ideology in a dynamic manner.
"Pancasila is an open ideology. It is not made of frozen ideals", he said.
Also in attendance at the opening ceremony, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said that many people are confused about the difference between liberal, liberalization and liberalism.
The confusion is serious because the trade liberalization system is almost totally based on western laws.
"There are now strong indications of ideological confusion among us", he said.
He said that Indonesia still holds fast to Pancasila state ideology but, at the same time, wants to show the world that it is able to compete with other systems.
"We accept trade liberalization, not liberalism", he said.
Moerdiono said that this nation will never compromise its basic principles, such as unity and togetherness. (tis)