Experts question candidates’ economic platforms for Aceh

Hotli Simanjuntak ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Banda Aceh   |  Thu, 07/02/2009 8:18 AM  |  Presidential Election

Experts still have doubts regarding the presidential candidates’ economic platforms, saying most of their economic plans have yet to solidify from campaign rhetoric, a recent public discussion revealed.

At a public dialogue on the presidential candidate’s economic platforms, experts only had vague ideas about how candidates planned to improve the economy, particularly in the tsunami-torn and drastically changing region of Aceh.

Nazamudin, an economics expert from Unsyiah University, said the presidential candidates had not shown any new policies, adding that the candidates were “old politicians with old economic policies”.

“So, there is nothing new to give to the people. The only thing that has changed are the names of the candidates,” Nazamudin said during the discussion.

The economic platforms offered by candidates had already been laid out in the Constitution and the only difference was how they planned to implement them, he said.

Nazamudin compared the Megawati administration between 2000 and 2004 and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s administration between 2005 and 2008.

During Megawati’s tenure, Indonesia’s economic growth reached 4.8 percent, while during Yudhoyono’s tenure, it reached 5.9 percent, he said.

Yudhoyono’s administration saw investments grow 9.3 percent, while Megawati’s administration saw them stop at 6.7 percent.

“Despite the reported increases, Susilo’s tenure saw poverty rates increase up to 16.5 percent, while Megawati’s administration saw poverty rates plateau at 8.3 percent,” he said.

In conclusion, Nazamudin said, whoever becomes president does not matter to Aceh because high amounts of economic growth and investment will not necessarily improve the people’s welfare.

Thamrin Ananda, an activist from a local political party, had an even more pessimistic view, saying none of the presidential candidates offered new economic opportunities to Aceh.

Thamrin urged any elected president to repair the investment climate in Aceh and employ policies that would create jobs for the Aceh public, specifically in the agriculture sector.

“In terms of land mass, Indonesia is one of the largest countries in the world after Brazil. Up to 11 percent of the world’s productive soil lies in Indonesia, with 4 percent of that soil in Aceh,” he said.

“Aceh would already be rich by now if this region was developed with a strong agriculture policy,” Thamrin said.

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