UNAIR NEWS – “I am sad if there’s someone who feels reluctant whether we are ready for MEA or not. If we are afraid of it, it’s unfitting. They (foreigners) are the ones who afraid of us,” President Joko Widodo said in Presidential Palace on November 24, 2015.

Indeed, domestic business community should not be afraid. But, they should be aware and wary. The government should be shrewd and active to make regulations based on its people interests. The government should never feel relaxed.

Trade law expert from Faculty of Law (FH) UNAIR Dr Intan Soeparna stated that the era of MEA should have been started long ago, in 2007 referring to Blueprint 2007.

In principle, MEA has started its foundation since 2007. Even though its popularity heard in 2015, referring to Blueprint 2007, and focused on a view, Free Movement for Persons.

The problem, Blueprint 2007, which was the foundation to compete in MEA, was not implemented optimally. The executive claimed than Indonesia has implemented Blueprint 2007 at 92.7%. But the fact showed that there were still drawbacks in the implementation for example, in the pattern of Free Movement of Goods. “There were still illegal tariff collection which make the investor anxious,” said Intan.

This problem has ever been under spotlight when NIKE Company moved to Vietnam. But the biggest market was still here. The issue of illegal tariff collections has ever been heard. Other rumors said domestic company which wanted to export the goods were also threatens by the illegal tariff collection.

The government, must be serious paying attention to the white collar criminals. However, the fact showed that Indonesia has not been able to perform 100% Free Movement of Goods. Hopefully, the moment of MEA can trigger changes in Indonesian business and economy.

Government tasks are accumulating as overflowing resources from abroad are unavoidable. “What I know well, ASEAN countries have prepared their human resources such as Filipino nurses have been trained to learn languages such as Indonesian and even Javanese language,” said the lecturer graduated from Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Other than the demanding acceleration from the government, every individual should also improve their abilities. Special skills are advantageous in a certain extent. There should be differentiation. The Indonesian businessmen should also understand the regulation of Blueprint 2025 such as the high standards expected from their goods. (*)

Author: Akhmad Janni
Editor: Rio F. Rachman