TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Economy researcher specialized in International Economy from Indonesian Academy of Science (LIPI) Pangky Tri Febiyansyah said less than 30 percent of Indonesian citizens has yet aware about ASEAN Economic Community (MEA). The data is based on the research LIPI has done toward 2,000 respondents in 16 provinces.
"Government is late in socializing this to the people. We’ve conduct research to 2,300 respondents in 16 provinces randomly from entrepreneurs, locals, professionals, and associations," Pangky told Tempo, Friday, January 1.
Pangky said he appreciated Government’s move on the MEA socialization though it is late. "It’s not total since most of them are not aware of what MEA is and its advantages," kata Pangky.
According to Pangky, the information about MEA is important so Indonesia can compete well; not only as the market of other ASEAN countries products. "That is the matter," he said.
Entering the MEA 2016 era, government should actually conduct socialization in every level; from the upper levels to the lower levels. "The purpose is to let people aware that there is labor skill mobility, and how the ASEAN investment would flow," he said.
Pangky worries that Indonesia will only be the consumers and cannot compete to produce. "If the MEA product prices are cheaper, it will then put down the small and medium enterprises (UKM)," he said.
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