'Stop doubting trade liberalization'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti called on the public not to make any more fuss about trade liberalization, saying globalization could neither be stopped nor reversed.

"There is no force in this world that could stop that," he told reporters, after giving his keynote speech at a workshop on small and medium-sized enterprises on Wednesday.

Rather than complaining on what has become a worldwide trend, Dorodjatun said that local businesses should improve their competitiveness in the international market, as it was the only way they could hope to survive.

"This is the 21st century, let us end any doubts we may have about globalization and liberalization," Dorodjatun added.

Indonesia is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ASEAN's Free Trade Area (AFTA).

His statement came as a response to mounting opposition calls on globalization, arguing that free trade would only cause misery to Indonesians rather than prosperity.

The latest protests had come from labor unions across the country, which just concluded their three-day conference on labor here.

They claimed globalization and free-trade pacts would make more Indonesian workers jobless, because of their lack of competitiveness.

Attended by 120 labor unions, the conference's main aim was to formulate a common perception on globalization.

However, while admitting that competitiveness was one of the main obstacles in competing internationally, Dorodjatun still believed the situation could be improved.

It could be achieved through political, economic, bureaucratic and legal reform.

He did not elaborate, but said that failing to implement such actions would push the country away from world trade.

Of the four sectors cited, Dorodjatun stressed it was legal reform that was most urgent.

"Nowadays, the international community does not ask much about how the country handles its security, or human rights. It is more concerned about what this country is doing to improve its legal system," he claimed.