‘Let’s Work Together to Face the Competition,” President Jokowi Says

President Joko Widodo accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, and Minister of Home Affairs at the Opening of the 1stNational Working Meeting of ADKASI, at C2 Hall JIEXPO Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Tuesday (30/8) (Picture: Public Relations Office/Oji)

President Joko Widodo said that the competition among countries as well as regions is quite fierce. Now, there is only ASEAN Economic Community, but later there would be competition among regions.

“Sometimes, Heads of States and Heads of Governments of ASEAN join hands when we pose for a photograph. Nonetheless, we must realize that they are our competitors,” the President said at the Opening of the 1^st National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of Indonesian Regional House of Representatives Association (ADKASI) at C2 Hall Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Tuesday (30/8) afternoon.

We are neighbors and members of the same group: ASEAN and ASEAN Economic Community. However, they are also our competitors. At the moment, there are a lot of big groups, such as ASEAN Economic Community, Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), and Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP). TPP is a group of the US, RCEP is China’s group, and EU is the group of the European Union. “This is the current competition and we will face the bigger one,” the President stated.

Nevertheless, the President believes Indonesia will win the competition if all people work together from central government to regional governments. “For a moment, don’t think about the competition in Presidential Election. Now, all of us must work together for our beloved country,” the President firmly said.

The President took an example of Indonesia’s ranking in the ease of doing business. Its rank is far under other countries. Singapore is at number 1, Malaysia is at number 18, Thailand is at number 49, and Indonesia is at number 109. How can we compete if we are still left behind them?’ the President asked.

Our global competition index, the President added, is also the same. We are still at number four in ASEAN, at number 37 in world level. Thus, it must be fixed.

Therefore, the President asked all speakers and members of Indonesian Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) who attended the National Working Meeting to create regional regulations that give easiness for the people to do business. Do not make a regulation that can burden them because it can make the investors not interested to invest.

“If there is no investment, it means there is no addition for money circulation, depends only on Regional State Budget (APBD). No investment means no employment. No employment means people’s purchasing power dropped,” the President said while affirming the key is investment because our State Budget only supports 80 percent of all money circulations.

These are the challenges that must be faced. “Why the Government canceled 3,143 regional regulations? Because they bring difficulties not easiness for investment and trade,” he said.

The President expects the speakers and members of DPRD to return a regulation’s draft if the regulation just adds more difficulties.

Simple

According to the President, now we have to think simple. Thus, the President already told the Speaker of the House of Representatives not to make a lot of laws.

“40 laws in a year. If they have been issued, what’s next? The Government should make a government regulation, then the President must issue a presidential regulation. After that, the Minister must issue a minister regulation. Isn’t it?” the President said.

The President reminded that the world changes in second. Therefore, we should not trap ourselves. We are not flexible and slow in making a decision.

“We should not be like this anymore. It is ok to produce only a few laws, but the quality is good. It is also ok to produce only a few regional regulations as long as the quality is good and it can improve the economy. Don’t produce regulations every day but the implementation is poor,” the President said.

The Opening of ADKASI’s National Working Meeting was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo,and the Chairman of ADKASI Lukman Said.(FID/ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)