TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-Amir Karamoy, chairman of the national committee for franchising and license at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said that Indonesia must learn from the history in order to welcome the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).
Amir said during a press conference before the Kadin’s national leaders meeting on Friday, October 16, that if Indonesian youths did not push Indonesian first president Soekarno to read the proclamation, there would be no independence.
“It’s better that way. If the AEC waits for Indonesia to be ready, then [Indonesia] would never learn,” he said.
Amir added that Indonesia must prepare for the AEC one way or another since it had signed the agreement. Amir said that economic packages released by the government must have impacts on Indonesia’s competitiveness.
“Therefore, Indonesia wouldn’t be a market for other countries during the AEC,” he said.
The AEC will be implemented in January 1, 2016. One of agendas during Kadin’s national leaders meeting that will be held on Monday, October 19, 2015, is to discuss how Indonesia would enter the ASEAN Economic Community era.
AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI
