Siding with the people

Siding with the people

President Soeharto stated that the implementation of the Bogor
Declaration (on the adoption of free trade by the year 2020) will
not disregard Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution.

The same perception, in a different form, was stated by the
Minister for National Development Planning/Chairman of the
National Development Planning Board, Ginandjar Kartasasmita,
during a ceremony commemorating the 45th anniversary of Gadjah
Mada University on Tuesday, Dec. 20. According to Ginanjar, all
the talk about globalization and economic liberalization should
not make us forget our national goals as charted by the
Constitution.

"Our real problem is to make sure that the benefits of
economic liberalization will reach the public and can be
distributed among them equitably," Ginanjar said. To achieve
that, he said, it is of the utmost importance that we side with
the people. To do so, a clear-cut and well-aimed strategy as well
as legislative products designed to look after the needs of the
public are needed.

Advanced countries have already developed a system that
protects the rights of the poor -- by generating anti-monopoly
laws and devising social welfare plans. Indonesians should not
delay outlining a legislation plan, in whatever form, to ensure
that we side with the poor.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta