Pancasila-based economy

Pancasila-based economy

From Suara Karya

This beloved republic is based on the five-point state
philosophy called Pancasila. All political parties and mass
organizations should adhere to this philosophy. To implement this
state philosophy, our founding fathers drew up a constitution --
known as the 1945 Constitution -- which contains matters relating
to the economy. It is for this reason that our economy has been
described as a Pancasila-based economy.

Our Pancasila-based economy espouses the principles of
togetherness and family-like harmony stipulated in paragraphs 1
and 2 of the constitution's Article 33. So Indonesia's economy is
neither a communist economy, which exercises control over the
smallest economic activity, nor a liberal economy, which allows
free competition resulting in big economic players becoming ever
bigger while small ones eventually disappear. Liberal economic
players are inclined to give priority to their own groups.

If we draw an analogy between our motherland and a park, then
our economic growth can be likened to the trees growing in the
park. Large trees can be found beside small ones while grass
grows underneath. Living creatures in the park may benefit from
this environment.

The government can be likened to the park keeper. The keeper
is always ready with a pair of pruning shears to ensure that the
large trees do not block too much of the sun's rays from reaching
the grass and smaller trees. Lack of sunlight can kill grass and
small trees.

Indonesia endured hardships and failures under what has been
termed as the Old Order. Will history repeat itself and record
that the present New Order government also failed, especially in
the economic sector? Let's hope that this will not be the case.

Whether or not the New Order government fails or not depends
on the authorities in charge of the economic sector. If these
authorities allow the economic sector to run its own development
without properly regulating its growth, then the concept of a
Pancasila-based economy would remain a concept -- to the
detriment of our younger generations.

I hope the New Order government will take care to ensure that
it won't go down in history as another failure-riddled regime.

NABHANI M ALI

Jakarta