You should not be afraid about AEC: Jokowi

JAKARTA. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo reiterated on Monday his call for people, particularly young entrepreneurs, not to view with trepidation the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which will be introduced late this year.

According to the President, some ASEAN leaders were worried about the AEC because its consequences remained difficult to predict, citing Indonesia among the countries they were afraid of, because of its large population.

"This means that you should not be afraid; in fact, it is they who are nervous [about us]," Jokowi said during the 15th congress of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) on Monday in Bandung, West Java.

Hipmi chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari, however, said entrepreneurs should remain cautious, because enhanced regional competition entailed both sides of the coin: threats as well as opportunities.

"Speaking of competitiveness, young entrepreneurs, both present and future, need affirmative action [to help them with their businesses], including in access to legal matters, capital and markets," Raja added.

The Hipmi chief has previously said that businesspeople in the creative economy sector were unsure as to how to further develop the industry after Jokowi removed the sector from the remit of what was then the tourism ministry.

Jokowi separated the creative economy portfolio from the tourism and creative economy ministry, which was established under then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Jokowi has said that the agency handling creative economy would report directly to him as President, and not to related ministers.

The agency, however, has yet to be established. (Ina Parlina)