In a seminar organized to
celebrate the 15th Congress of the Indonesian Muhammadyah Students
Association (IMM) in Medan on May 1, 2012, Hary Tanoesoedibjo, a noted
businessman and Chairman of the Expert Council of NasDem Party disclosed an
idea attractive to observe. He said that the economic policies in Indonesia
have not been nationalism. Industries are not supported to grow up but sold to
foreign investors. Consequently, foreign countries turn great in our country,
not country (www.seputar-indonesia.com,
2/5/2012).
On one side, Hary is surely true. The opinion becomes
attractive to discuss because the reality shows that following the downfall of
the New Order regime, major companies once hoisting national flag slowly fall
on the hand of foreigners through majority share ownership. The reality is
really visible in banking sector. Private banks really Indonesian in the past
have changed in names or have been supplemented with new names after their
shares are controlled by foreigners. For instance, BII has changed in the name
into Maybank after majority share is controlled by Maybank Offshore Corporate
Services (Labun) Sdn. Bhd. (MOCS), a subsidiary of Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank).
Bank Niaga an Bank Lippo also faced the same faith. The two banks have changed
in the name after they are controlled by Bumiputra-Comerce Holdings Berhad
(BCHB) from Malaysia and the name changed into CIMB Niaga.
On the other hand, it is also attractive to observe the
statement of Hary from the used phrase. Hary decided to choose the terminology
“nationalism economic policy”. The phrase is attractive because it reminds
directly us of the phrase “economic nationalism”. The question is whether the nationalism
economic policy is identical with economic nationalism?
Lexically, nationalism is defined as the rising awareness
in the from of abundant love to the motherland and nation (Raliby, 1982). If
the definition is used as a basis to interpret economic nationalism, surely it
means an economic system fully realizing the abundant sense of love to
motherland and nation. Therefore, economic nationalism refers to economic
system and policy in general.
Later, what is about the phrase “nationalism economic
policy” disclosed by Hary? If we want to interpret the phrase freely,
nationalism economic policy refers to two elements. The first is policy itself
(policy element) and the second is economic players as executor of the economic
policy (executor element). Nationalism economic policy is an economic policy
prioritizing to economic development fully serving national interests. In
certain conditions, the perspective resembles economic nationalism. Economic
nationalism constitutes part of political science which has been debated
widely. Oil nationalization in Venezuela and Bolivia is frequently called as
example of economic nationalism demonstrated by Latin American countries.
However, nationalism economic policy may also be
interpreted as economic policy granting privilege to economic players showing
high nationalism in their concrete activities. In this point, we may say that
complaint about non-nationalism economic policy as disclosed by Hary
constitutes expression of dissatisfaction at national economic policy deemed
demonstrating justice excessively because it treats equally the whole economic
players in Indonesia without differentiating national party from the foreigner.
At the end of this article, it’s necessary to affirm that
Indonesia needs nationalism economic players and economic policy containing
nationalism spirit anD vision.
Jakarta, May 11, 2012
Business News - May 16, 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment