Pauperization amid abundant natural resources

The wave of pauperization would likely happen again and again in the beloved country of ours following the government plan to raise fuel oil prices (BBM). Formerly there have been rocketing and rare prices of necessities like cooking oil, wheat, kerosene, gas, and so on that would in turn make many small and medium enterprises collapse. Thousands of fried foods, bakso, noodle traders till traditional “warteg” sidewalk stalls for instance have started to collapse. There have also been bread and fermented soybean cake companies collapse following hiking raw material costs.

All this would of course cause the collapse of people’s enterprises resulting in mass pauperization. All this happens on account of the government’s political-economic policies paying no more attention to people and the nation’s interests. Instead the policies take sides with big corporations. The corporations constantly subsided can easily have access to big banks. While people’s enterprises are one by one dismantled through any collusive political decision.<>

whereas the Republic of Indonesia has been blessed with abundant natural resources from its fertile soil that can be seeded by any required necessities, sea with its all unlimited wealth and land with its all mining products like oil, gas, gold, coal, and so on. If the resources are properly managed, Indonesia would of course be a rich country. Due to the failure of its leaders, we have remained poor amid the abundant natural resources.

Since the era of New Order, this country has lost its sovereignty. All sectors like politics, economy, education, culture and so on have been organized by foreigners, providing loan assistance to Indonesia. As a result they have dominated and exploited all natural resources of ours. Initially the foreign monopoly over the natural resources has not been so much, but day after day it has tended to be centralized. Consequently, this country has been trapped into any unpayable debts manipulated by loan providers or grafted by our national elites.

formerly when Indonesia has remained an oil exporting country, it has been in prosperity amidst hiking fuel oil prices. But when all natural resources have been dominated by foreigners, all of the resources can no longer bring prosperity for the people of Indonesia. Like the recent rise in world oil prices, Indonesia should ideally be a petrodollar country. On the contrary Indonesia tends to have experienced huge loss due to its wrong decision that it is both exporter and importer as well.

When natural resources especially abundant oil and gas, everything has likely belonged to others because of our political leaders’ failure in making purposeful decision. In turn the government has no power to take stand firm against foreign businessmen exploiting our natural resources. They have once again exploited our resources for their own country’s interests while Indonesia has just received remaining resources and at the same time it must bear all costs of investment.

our powerless political elites have been easily dictated so many state-owned enterprises are handed over to foreign corporations like Indosat and some cement corporations. In addition, there are many state-owned enterprises that will soon be sold like Garuda Indonesia, mining companies, State Electricity Enterprise (PLN), Krakatau Steel that is a fundamental industry bearing many other national industries.

for that reason, the government should immediately stop processing privatization of state enterprises. If not, this country would increasingly be in poverty and powerless. The government again and again must have courage to stand firm in nationalizing its all enterprises that have now been dominated by foreigners.

Of course Indonesia is absolutely in need of such powerful and strong government and the militancy of its people for the nationalization would face heavy challenges coming not only from capitalists’ corporations and foreign imperialists but also from our own government whose no such attention to people and commitment to the nation and state.

This measure has ever been taken by RI following its independence. In turn RI has at that time proclaimed politically its independence and fulfilled the independence economically by gradually nationalizing all colonial corporations exploiting the nation’s wealth.

This is the only way to protect the nation. There have been many good examples in both Asian and Latin American countries following their courage to nationalize their political and economic systems. As a result they have now been prosperous, respected and dignified countries.

The efforts of nationalizing are really in need of struggle as the ones of struggling for independence. Whatever challenges emerge this brilliant measure must be taken and struggled for though the government has promised colonial corporations not to take the purposeful measure. Yet all people and the nation must take a stand against the corporation for their prosperity and the nation’s dignity. (Abdul Mun’im DZ)