Jokowi Tuntut Investor Asing Beri Manfaat Adil bagi Indonesia
President Widodo: Indonesia Wants Fair Gains from Trade
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
MENJELANG kunjungan luar negeri pertamanya sejak dilantik tiga pekan lalu, Presiden Joko Widodo menegaskan bahwa Indonesia akan tetap terbuka untuk investasi asing, tetapi ia akan bersikap tegas bahwa Indonesia harus mendapatkan keuntungan secara adil.
Jokowi menegaskan hal itu pada pertemuan alumni di almamaternya, Universitas Gadjah Mada di Kendari, Sulawesi, pada Kamis pekan lalu bahwa ia akan menyampaikan tuntutan ini saat bertemu para pemimpin asing di Beijing untuk pertama kalinya.
Di Kendari, Jokowi menceritakan secara singkat pertemuan terakhir dengan para menteri luar negeri dari Amerika Serikat, Cina dan Jepang serta Menteri Perdagangan Rusia di Jakarta. "Mereka semua bertanya tentang poros maritim ... Perasaan saya, mereka sudah gugup," katanya disambut tawa, seperti dilansir AsiaOne.
Dia mencatat bahwa Menteri Luar Negeri China Wang Yi telah meyakinkan bahwa negaranya mendukung 'poros maritim' yang akan melengkapi visi baru Beijing di abad 21 melalui Jalur Sutra.
"Tidak mungkin bahwa Anda mendapatkan keuntungan dan kami tidak. Berapa keuntungan dan berapa banyak yang akan didapat Indonesia? Saya to the point, tapi itu lebih baik karena langsung ke pokok persoalan," katanya.
Jokowi dijadwalkan bertemu Presiden China Xi Jinping, Presiden AS Barack Obama, Perdana Menteri Jepang Shinzo Abe dan Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin dalam pertemuan terpisah di sela-sela pertemuan para pemimpin dari Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia-Pasifik (APEC) di Beijing. Dia mengatakan keempat pemimpin telah meminta untuk bertemu dengannya.
Dia akan hadir pada pertemuan KTT CEO APEC untuk mengusung visi ekonomi Indonesia demi konektivitas yang lebih besar di kawasan Asia-Pasifik, dan menghadiri ASEAN dan KTT terkait di Myanmar mulai Rabu, serta KTT Kelompok 20 di Brisbane sejak Sabtu.
Pernyataan Jokowi muncul di tengah kekhawatiran banyak pihak di tanah air terhadap posisi Indonesia yang terbuka bahwa Indonesia terbuka untuk sistem perdagangan global dan mempersiapkan diri menjadi bagian dari Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN pada akhir 2015, sementara petani dan industri dalam negeri dinilai masih belum cukup kuat untuk menghadapi persaingan.
Dia juga menghadapi perlawanan di dalam negeri, termasuk dari DPR yang didominasi partai oposisi yang menegaskan akan mengawal setiap kebijakannya demi kepentingan Indonesia.
"Pesan utamanya bahwa Indonesia akan tampil percaya diri, sebagai negara berkembang dan negara-negara lain harus serius memandang Indonesia sebagai mitra penting," kata pengamat hubungan internasional Achmad Sukarsono dari The Habibie Centre kepada The Straits Times.
"Dan itu berarti Indonesia dapat membatasi perdagangan yang tidak menguntungkan, dan akan meninggalkan perusahaan asing predator ... Indonesia membutuhkan perdagangan, tetapi juga ingin diperlakukan sebagai mitra sejajar."
Menteri Luar Negeri Retno Marsudi pekan ini mengatakan kepada koran Tempo bahwa partisipasi Jokowi di KTT untuk "memperkuat peran Indonesia sebagai 'kekuatan menengah' dan 'pemain global'".
Juru bicara Kementerian Luar Negeri Michael Tene mengatakan pertemuan tersebut adalah "kesempatan bagi (Mr Joko) untuk menyampaikan rencananya dalam pembangunan Indonesia selama lima tahun ke depan, dan menempatkan seluruh kepentingan Indonesia, yang mencakup konektivitas bangunan, meningkatkan fasilitas maritim dan mengembangkan infrastruktur."
Jokowi juga mengumumkan niat Indonesia untuk bergabung dengan Asian Investment Bank Infrastruktur yang diperdebatkan oleh China, karena akan mendukung rencana pembangunan Indonesia, kata Menteri Keuangan Bambang Brodjonegoro.
AHEAD of his first overseas visit since his inauguration three weeks ago, President Joko Widodo has said Indonesia will stay open for business with other countries, but he will be firm that the benefits must be fair to his country.
Mr Joko told a gathering of alumni at his alma mater Gadjah Mada University in Kendari, Sulawesi, on Thursday that he will put this message across when he meets his foreign counterparts in Beijing for the first time.
In Kendari, Mr Joko recounted briefly his recent meetings with the foreign ministers of the US, China and Japan as well as the Russian trade minister in Jakarta. "They all asked what our maritime axis was about... My feeling is, they are already nervous," he said to laughter.
He noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had suggested that his vision of Indonesia as a maritime fulcrum could complement Beijing's proposed new 21st-century Silk Road.
"It cannot be that you benefit and we do not. How much will China gain and how much will Indonesia gain? I'm to the point, but better it's clear," he said.
Mr Joko is slated to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin in separate meetings on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders' meeting in Beijing. He said all four leaders had asked to meet him.
He will address the Apec CEO summit on Indonesia's economic vision for greater connectivity in the Asia-Pacific, and attend the ASEAN and related summits in Myanmar from Wednesday, as well as the Group of 20 summit in Brisbane from Saturday.
Mr Joko's remarks come amid concerns raised by many citizens that as Indonesia opens up to the global trading system and prepares to be part of the ASEAN Economic Community from end-2015, its farmers and domestic industries are still not strong enough to face competition.
He also faces much domestic resistance, including from an opposition-dominated Parliament that has already said it would make sure his policies are in Indonesia's interests.
"His key message will be that Indonesia is a confident, developing country and other countries should take Indonesia seriously," international relations observer Achmad Sukarsono of The Habibie Centre think-tank told The Straits Times.
"And that means Indonesia may restrict trade that is not favourable, and will go after predatory foreign companies… Indonesia wants to trade, but it also wants to be treated as an equal partner."
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi this week told Quran Tempo newspaper that Mr Joko's participation in these summits aim to "strengthen Indonesia's role as a 'middle power' and 'global player'". Foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said the meetings are "an opportunity for (Mr Joko) to present his plans for Indonesia's development over the next five years, and put across Indonesia's interests, which include building connectivity, improving maritime facilities and developing infrastructure."
Mr Joko may also announce Indonesia's intention to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank mooted by China, as it will help with its development plans, Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said.
