NU questions politicians' measures on national economic policy

Jakarta, NU Online
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization has questioned the political parties' stance on the national economic sovereignty, especially concerning the free market economy.<> 

Deputy Secretary General of NU NU H Enceng Shobirin Najd made the remarks on the sidelines of a roundtable discussion held at the NU headquarters here on Thursday (10/4).

In the meeting taking up issues on the national economic policy, Enceng said that there had been no concrete measures taken by the political parties in regard with the national economic policy.

"They've never talked seriously about it," Enceng said, adding that he did regret the parties' politicians that have not yet played their role as policy makers.

He considered the politicians did not have a sensitivity to formulate the national economic policies which are capable of, at least, protecting against foreign companies, citing a foreign company's mineral water on his desk.

"The mineral water company have many times hiked prices over the last six years. How much we benefit the foreign company," asked Enceng.

" When asked, the parties' economic policy makers said the measures they take are quite protective . But in reality, their policy spirit is very neoliberal," Enceng said.

According to Enceng, if the political parties do not pay more attention to the national economy, our country will be flooded with foreign products. 

This discussion presented two guests, former Fifth Development Cabinet Siswono Yudhohusodo and Brawijaya University economics lecturer, Ahmad Erani Yustika.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq