Social ethics will affect economy: Mar'ie

BANDUNG (JP): Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad, departing from his usual area of expertise, stressed over the weekend that high ethical standards can strongly influence the efficiency of an economy.

Mar'ie told a gathering with the faculty members of the Bandung Institute of Technology that discussions about efficiency usually deal with economic factors, science and technology.

"But one should not forget that social ethics or public morality also play a great role in influencing the level of economic efficiency," he pointed out.

However good a system may be, he added, it inherently has weaknesses or loopholes which can be exploited by those who do not uphold social ethics as the rules of conduct.

Example

Mar'ie cited as an example the practice of certain businesses marking up the prices of their projects in order to obtain bigger loans or to rake in as much profit as possible.

He conceded that laws and rules with clearly-defined penalties are needed.

"But we will never have a law that someone cannot get around," he asserted, reaffirming the vital role of social ethics as an inner power for self-restraint.

Mar'ie devoted the greatest portion of his speech entitled Indonesia Facing the 21st Century to the role of social ethics in today's increasingly globalized economy.

"You may wonder why a finance minister is talking about ethics and not about financial figures, the state budget and other fiscal matters. You may also get the impression that I am sermonizing and moralizing. I am sorry if I disappoint you," he said.

The participants who apparently saw Mar'ie's remarks as a voice of conscience and common sense instead cheered and asked him to go on with his lively speech.

Mar'ie argued, though, that in light of so many scientific and technological advances that have brought about" so many changes to our livelihood it is wise for us to occasionally contemplate the real meaning of our lives."

He noted that ethical standards are even more imperative in those people holding positions of authority or the ones whose actions affect the fate of others.

He said if those leaders (in politics, society or business) abuse their power, many will fall victim.

"Since the authority held by a public leader concerns the public, any abuse of that power will harm the public and consequently increase the costs of the national economy," Mar'ie pointed out.

He referred to the high standards of moral character expected from the leaders or public figures in western Europe, the United States and Japan.

"Even though in our view the people in western Europe and the United States are suffering from moral decadence, their leaders uphold high standards of social ethics," he said.

He acknowledged that such a condition is possible partly because of their accountability to the people.

"But my point is that their leaders are always subject to and must always uphold very high standards of public morality," Mar'ie added.

Mar'ie's remarks were welcomed by many, especially in light of the increasing allegations of greedy businessmen being engaged in corrupt business practices, collusion and other activities leading to further social and economic inequities.

Standards

According to Mar'ie, high ethical standards are particularly imperative in Indonesia due to the paternalistic nature of this society.

"The people follow their leaders and see their leaders or elders as the role models."

According to Mar'ie, the same standards are also prerequisites for making poverty alleviation and other programs to reduce disparities in various other fields successful.

His speech also discussed changes in family life, the weakening of traditional relationships and the increasing tendency of hedonism in urban lifestyles.

He also touched on other factors influencing the dramatic progress in communications and telecommunications technology.

"I fully realize the severe limitations of a short gathering like this to develop answers to the issues I've raised. But I think a relevant question still serves a function, even if it doesn't get an immediate answer," Mar'ie told the applauding scholars. (vin)

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