Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Minister for State Enterprises (BUMNs) Rini M. Soemarno warned against other countries in ASEAN taking advantages of any Indonesian weaknesses in the era of regional free trade of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).
BUMNs, therefore, need to form strong synergy to develop the nation, Rini told a group of graduates of the Surabaya Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology here on Saturday.
"We must not allow other ASEAN countries to gain from our slowness in making use of our position as the largest economy in this region," Rini said.
She said ASEAN economies have been "very liberal", and the process of liberalization has covered all sectors, excepting perhaps the banking sector.
Around 20 percent of the country's population of 250 million are middle class with high consumption potential.
One big challenge confronting Indonesia is lopsidedness in development, she said
She gave emphasis on development being Indonesia centrist ending the inclination of being Java centrist.
Java is by far more crowded in population, but other regions must not be neglected too long, she added.
She said there are 1,293 more villages in the country without electricity, "a fact that adds to our homework how to improve our energy security in addition to food security."
Therefore, synergy between BUMNs is important not only to develop the nation but also to reinvigorate weak BUMNs, she said.
The main strategy of BUMNs is to strengthen the pillars of self sufficiency, welfare, sovereignty and equality.
"BUMNs must create synergy for national development to improve the people's welfare," she said.
Earlier President Joko Widodo stressed the importance of professionalism as the key to success in facing the era of AEC.
"The key to success is work ethics, productivity and competitiveness. This is professionalism," the president said when opening the police leadership meeting in Jakarta, on Friday.
The president said Indonesia is no longer facing the era of AEC, but it is already entering it.
"Therefore, the country needs to abandon the old traditions that kept us lagging behind," he said. (WDY)
