Observing the current trend, it seems that some
economists have signal and warning about deficit in trade balance in the next
quarter. If the warning is proven correct, it means that import will be higher
than export. Such a situation is not expected and the government should respond
to it by applying an appropriate policy. This statement was told by Industry
and trade policy observer, Fauzi Aziz, to Business News.
Like it or not, import must be controlled and supervised,
especially import of consumption goods. The country has such authority in the
framework of supporting of investment activities. Export should be applied on
non-locally-made ingredients should be made easier.
In this case, public policy makers should not be in the
import0based mainstream, but should be in the domestic resource-based
mainstream so that the strength of the national economy will still be managed
properly and supported by effective monetary, fiscal and administrative policy.
In this connection, control over circulating goods must be intensified and the
implementation is not limited to fire extinguishing, but it should include
elimination of illegal import.
In the framework of procurement of government’s goods and
services, it is time to consider so that procurement of locally-made goods with
40% or more local content (TKDN) could be done by direct appointment like the
one applied on procurement of motor vehicles (the important thing that the
price is reasonable and the goods have been verified). With a potency of 134
millions of middle-class people in Indonesia who are potential buyers that have
specific lifestyle and consumption pattern, they become the target of marketing
of imported goods.
Therefore, Fauzi explained, demand of those goods must be
sufficed by local products. It is a joint responsibility of the government
including regional government, business community and society which is in the
same mainstream to make Indonesia a country who is able to maintain national
economic sustainability and growth. Surplus in capital balance, surplus in
current transactions balance, and finally, payment balance will be safe and invulnerable.
The Trade Ministry is preparing an Inter-regional Potency Exhibition.
Vice Minister of Trade, Bayu Krisnamurthi, during a talk
opportunity in Bali, said that one of the attempts to increase consumption of
domestic product and to revive potency of regional products, the Domestic Trade
Directorate will simultaneously arrange exhibition to promote domestic
products.
The Trade Ministry has designated 5 regions which will be
started in May this year in Semarang and will be continued with other regions
such as Sumatera, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. The approach taken is domestic
market optimalization because the domestic market is becoming stronger to
become stimulator of national economic growth. Moreover, with a potency of 30
millions of middle-class people, the domestic market must be filled with qualified
domestic products.
The middle-class people need products whose class is more
qualified, and they will seek products whose market is filled by imported
products. Producers and exhibition participants should create a new market.
Therefore, the approach taken is different from the old one. In the old
approach, if an exhibition is held in Semarang, the participants are Semarang
citizens, and the products exhibited are to fulfill demand of Semarang
citizens.
Now, we changed the orientation where those who
participate in the exhibition in Semarang must be citizens from other provinces
or regions. But, the participants who are from outside Semarang are invited to
fulfill demand of their products in Semarang. The products exhibited are
culinary products, prepared foods, snack foods, including garments, shoes,
footwear and furniture because those products are believed to be the leading
products, Bayu explained.
Business
News, May 9, 2012
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