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The response to the most recent cabinet reshuffle is a good
indicator of the national mood. "The cabinet reshuffle by the President
was a positive step that will enhance the performance of the
government," said 77 percent of the population.
It is obvious that the President continues to enjoy a level of popular
support much higher than the leaders of neighboring Australia and New
Zealand.
Of the 23 percent of the population who disagreed, 61 percent were
male. Age had no noticeable bearing on the responses. Of the
overwhelming majority who agreed, 53 percent of the respondents were
female, 47 percent were male.
The fact that he is more popular among the ladies than he is with men
shouldn't have an impact on any decisions anyone may wish to take in
the year ahead.
The special poll was conducted recently among 1,740 respondents across
the country, in the month following the reshuffle. In conjunction with
Roy Morgan Single Source, the country's largest syndicated survey with
over 27,000 Indonesian respondents annually, the poll is projected to
reflect 90 percent of the population over the age of 14.
That is a universe of 140 million people. The results are updated every
90 days.
There is a bank of goodwill that still remains for President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono that can be exploited for the national good. A budget
that has focussed on job creation and poverty alleviation has put the
essential priorities where they should be, at the top of the nation's
list of "Things to do".
That it is proposing to do so by diverting the dividends of an economy
charging ahead at over 6 percent growth in GDP, as well as reductions
in bureaucratic waste, warrants the support of every well-wisher.
The pessimists among us will question the motives and point to the
lessons learned in other democracies of the developing world. They will
tell you that voting power lies more in the hands of the "have-nots"
rather than the "haves", so political survival rather than altruism is
the driving force.
With patience in short supply among the underprivileged, most
governments in power rarely get a third term, a second if they're
lucky. The short-term motivation hampers long-term planning, essential
for addressing key national problems that cannot be solved in a four or
five year term in a developing country.
Everybody on all sides of the political divide has had an opportunity
to express their views on the pros and cons of the 2008 budget. Despite
the track record of 2006 and the year so far, the critics have accused
the government of optimism, not much else. Most businesses thrive on
optimism, especially when there is good reason to be enthusiastic.
Now is a good time for enterprises big and small to look to the future
with renewed vigor.
If the government is focussed on creating more jobs and putting more
money in the hands of more people, all businesses involved with mass
consumer products and services stand to gain. All the more reason to
support the 2008 budget, not just with words but also with action.
While the consumer economy has been a major contributor to growth, the
spurt in gross domestic product in recent years has received a major
boost from the export of natural resources.
Due to the nature of those businesses, there has been no corresponding
spurt in employment. In fact, 2006 saw an upward surge in the demand
for jobs, particularly full-time jobs, indicating an increase in the
rich-poor gap.
New wealth created remained largely in the hands of the privileged few.
The government's focus on infrastructure development in 2008 will not
only create more jobs in the near term, it will literally pave the way
for more businesses to flourish around the country in the longer term.
Private and public enterprises can now put their shoulders to the
wheel, with confidence. If every business, big and small, pledges to
add more new jobs to their workforce, in tandem with revenue growth
targets for 2008, the chances of meeting national objectives sooner
will improve dramatically.
The day will come when it will be fashionable among businessmen and
executives to flaunt annual growth in wages and head counts, not just
profits.
Until that day dawns, the alleviation of poverty will primarily remain
the responsibility of NGOs and politicians, not the nation as a whole.
Responsible businesses can actively participate in fighting the good
fight, not just exploit the underprivileged of this developing economy.
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