Jusuf's book gives RI history lesson

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 10/07/2006 10:01 AM

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia should be able to learn from the last 20 years of global, regional and national change and adapt to current international conditions, while also taking full advantage of globalization, noted thinker Jusuf Wanandi says in his new book.

The book, Global, Regional and National: Strategic Issues & Linkages, is a collection of Jusuf's articles published in The Jakarta Post since January 1984.

Jusuf helped establish both the well-regarded think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and the Post.

His book is divided into three parts, each of which examines relevant issues at global, regional and national levels.

On global issues, Jusuf focused on lessons to be learned from changes in U.S. leadership from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush.

He also stressed the importance of preparing for globalization.

""Former president Soeharto thought globalization was only about exposing KKN (corruption, collision, and nepotism) to the international community. That's why he was not prepared for the consequences, which ultimately brought him down,"" he told participants in a book-launching seminar at the CSIS building in Jakarta on Friday.

Dozens of diplomats, academicians, government officials, businesspeople and representatives of nongovernmental organizations attended the seminar and book launch.

On regional issues, Jusuf stressed the need to build an East Asian community, with efforts focused on finding a balance among China, Japan, South Korea, and India in the East Asia Summit or ASEAN Plus Three.

At the national level, he concluded that Indonesia still needs steady economic development, more democratic reforms, and good policies and actions to create and maintain stability, especially in Aceh and Papua.

Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, one of the commentators at the seminar, praised the book's coverage of the last Cold War decade and the first post-Cold War decade.

""That is the very important period that saw the end of Cold War and the rise of the U.S. as a sole power. This book tells some aspects of that period,"" he said.

He added that the book found important connections between global and local issues.

""There is a simultaneous need for us to see the linkages between global, regional, national, provincial and local levels. Jusuf's book succeeds in showing us those linkages,"" Juwono said. He cited the unrest in Aceh, Maluku, and Papua as examples of international influences on local problems.

The Post's managing editor, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, hailed the book as consistent in its themes. He stressed its importance in helping young people learn from history.

""For the younger generation ... it's like a big map of the constellations on the wall that shows the shape of the galaxy around us,"" he said.

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