[Kabar-indonesia] Indonesia should be free of influence of IMF, World Bank: Forum

[Joyo at aol.com]

Indonesia should be free of influence of IMF, World
Bank: Forum

JAKARTA, September 1 (Asia Pulse/Antara) - The
government of Indonesia should be independent from the
influence of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the
World Bank (WB) if the country does not want the two
international institutions to press it to make various
decisions, Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID)
spokesman Chris Wangkay said here on Thursday.

He pointed out that despite Thailand and Malaysia not
being assisted by IMF and World Bank, the recovery of
the two countries' monetary crisis was faster than
that in Indonesia.

"Indonesia should not have depended on the IMF or
World Bank because it has massive natural resources
that can be exploited for the welfare of its people,"
Wankay noted.

Meanwhile, INFID Executive Director Donatus K Marut
said that so long as Indonesia has cooperation with
IMF and the World bak, it would have never been free
to make various policies at home.

He noted that the IMF and World Bank frequently
pressed the Indonesian government to make various
policies which were eventually burdensome to the
country itself in the future.

Donatus pointed out that the World Bank had pressed
the government to revise a number of policies which
hampered the investment.

He said Labor Law No.13/2003 was revised because it
was considered leaning toward the laborers.

INFID is planning to organize International Peoples
Forum (IPF) from September 12-18 in Bamtam to counter
IMF and World Bank annual meeting in Singapore on
September 19-20.

The forum will be attended by about 600 participants
and the representatives of non-government
organizations (NGOs) from 74 countries.

The outcome of the forum will be brought by the
delegation of the International Peoples Forum to the
International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual
meeting in the island country of Singapore from
September 19 to 20.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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