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