JAKARTA. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo warned on Wednesday that current global competition was so tight that any foreign country’s policy would directly impact Indonesia.
Speaking to participants of a National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) program at the State Palace, Jokowi said global competition and frictions were obvious.
“We can see that whatever happens in another country, be it close or far away from Indonesia, could affect us. For example, the economic crisis in Greece, although far away, was of impact to us,” Jokowi said in a statement sent to thejakartapost.com on Wednesday.
He also mentioned policies issued by the US Federal Reserve, relating to how it determines interest rate, that would influence other countries’ economies. The Chinese government’s decision to depreciate the yuan in August had also affected Indonesia’s economy, dragging down Indonesian stocks and the rupiah.
Participants were specifically selected to join the Lemhanas’ program, which ran for five and a half months, from May 11 to Nov. 5.
Lemhanas governor Budi Susilo Soepandji reported that there were 79 people selected for the 20th program, this year comprising echelon 1 and echelon 2 Indonesian Military (TNI) and police personnel alongside officials from other institutions such as the Supreme Court, Supreme Audit Agency, the National Commission on Human Rights, banking, political parties and universities. There were also 11 additional participants from foreign countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Algeria and Zimbabwe. (rin)