Entrepreneurial attitude is vital for businesses and government

Bangkok-wapresri.go.id Entrepreneurial attitude is essential not only in businesses but also in the government.

“My experience in business has given me invaluable guidance in navigating the public sector. It has also strengthened my belief that entrepreneurial attitudes are relevant both to the private sector and in government,” said Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the Celebration Banquet for Honorary Doctorate Degree Awards held by Rajamanggala University of Technology Isan held at the Centara Grand, Centra Plaza Ladprao in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday (March 21).

The Vice President added, according to history, business and government have a strong bond. The success of the private sector, he continued, will determine the success of the government, and vice versa.

However, he argued, a lot of great crisis were also caused by a failure in the private sector.

The Vice President recounted, most of Indonesian people will never forget how the excessive private sector debt had created a banking crisis which culminated in a prolonged political and economic turmoil in 1998.

“Similar phenomenon triggered other major crises, including the 2008 US subprime mortgage crisis, the 1994 Mexico currency crisis and 1991 Japan banking crisis,” he said.

Government, the Vice President said, should therefore create a better economic environment that stimulates business expansion as well as sound business practice. In this regard, he believed a solid regulatory framework, efficient infrastructure, and peace are essential.

After the Asian economic crisis, according to him, Indonesia entered a difficult phase in its history, which destroyed much of the economic progress that had been built over decades.

“Poverty and unemployment intensified. Political instability was apparent. In the early 2000s, social conflict erupted in many parts of Indonesia, including major occurrences in Poso, Aceh and Ambon,” he said.

Despite many challenges, the Vice President said that Indonesia’s economy was gradually recovering due to the right policy and the ability to transform conflict into peace.

“We ended various conflicts by introducing equitable access to economic resources and fairer power sharing in local politics. We should not copy western-style democracy; instead we should embrace our local values in the democratic process,” he affirmed.

On the occasion, the Vice President also assessed that aside from exotic cuisine and culture Thailand and Indonesia have much in common, such as in the stage of their economic development.

Indonesia and Thailand, he added, are ASEAN founding countries, and both have a strong desire to create peace in the region.

“We are vibrant democracies with diverse ethnicities,” he said.

Besides Mrs. Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, also accompanying the Vice President in the event were Indonesian Ambassador to Thailand Ahmad Rusdi, Indonesian Ambassador to Ukraine Yuddy Chrisnandi, Indonesian National Police Deputy Chief Comr. Gen. Syafruddin, Head of the Secretariat of the Vice President Mohamad Oemar, Special Staff to the Vice President on Public Affairs Alwi Hamu, and a member of the expert team to the Vice President Sofjan Wanandi.