Sectarian conflict real threat to unity: Edi
Sectarian conflict real threat to unity: Edi
SEMARANG (JP): Social problems generated from ethnic,
religious and inter-group conflict are becoming a real threat to
the nation's unity, Minister of Defense and Security Gen. (ret)
Edi Sudrajat warns.
Edi said the increasing coverage in the mass media on worries
about the ongoing sectarian trend shows that the threat is no
longer an illusion.
"It will be wrong to think that the issue is fabricated by the
ABRI (Armed Forces)," Edi said when addressing a congress of the
Association of Indigenous Entrepreneurs (HIPPI) on Monday night.
The minister said that issues related to ethnicity, religion
and social groups remain highly sensitive in Indonesia.
"It is indeed inconvenient to openly discuss the issues but
the problem will linger as long as we do not try to resolve it,"
he told about 400 participants of the congress.
Edi's warning on similar dangers was the second he made over
the past week. Earlier last week, he said that bankers'
favoritism of wealthy ethnic Chinese businessmen, in issuance of
credit, may worsen social envy.
In a country of 185 million people, where the gulf between the
rich and the poor is widening, the dominant role of ethnic
Chinese entrepreneurs in economy is increasingly under scrutiny.
On Monday, HIPPI supervisory board chairman Probosutedjo
charged in the congress that Indonesia's entrepreneurs of foreign
descent are "less nationalistic", for instance they often
threaten to shift their investment overseas if they are not given
privileges at home.
Edi stressed on Monday on the need to strengthen national
unity, so that the nation will be strong enough to repulse
problems which may have disintegrative impacts.
He pointed out that one way to improve national stability is
to strengthen the economic resilience.
He said that Indonesia should work hard to make its economy
solid enough to face the negative impact of the oncoming world
trade liberalization.
Indonesia means to develop an economic system in which the
weak can survive because the strong businesses cannot take it
all, like one which is commonly practiced in the West.
"To achieve the goal, Indonesian businesses should always have
in mind things like equal distribution of state wealth, economic
disparity and social envy. In other words, economic development
and empowerment of the poor should go hand in hand," Edi said.
The minister also urged HIPPI members to become independent
and not rely on facilities from the government. "A true
entrepreneur is characterized by his ability to grab a business
opportunity and never take the shortcut by trampling on business
ethics and violating laws."
He acknowledged that small-scale entrepreneurs will be
difficult to grow if the economy is still dominated by a certain
group and if legal uncertainty prevails.
The government should also play a more active role in creating
a condition conducive for all businesses to grow on equal
footing, he said. Bureaucrats should ease administrative
procedures often seen as a barrier to business development.
Edi also called on the public not to politicize the raging
debate on the businesses of government officials' offsprings.
"The debate should be interpreted as a reflection of people's
wish to create equal business opportunities for all," he said.
The debate on the business interests of government officials'
was started recently by members of the House of Representatives,
who want clear-cut regulations on that particular issue.
Critics say that officials' children's lack professionalism in
doing their business and rely on government facilities at the
cost of "ordinary" entrepreneurs.
Others say that there is nothing wrong with officials'
children doing business as long as they do not abuse their
parents' power. (har/pan)