"Indonesia must take advantage of this economic integration in ASEAN. We cannot be loser, we must be the winner," said the president.Bandar Sri Begawan (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is optimistic Indonesia is ready to face the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and has emphasized the country should get benefit from the integration.
"Indonesia must take advantage of this economic integration in ASEAN. We cannot be loser, we must be the winner," said the president here on Friday.
The president mentioned he has instructed Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Radjasa to establish a committee consisting of think tanks, government officials, entrepreneurs and experts from various sectors. The committee members will identify challenges faced by Indonesia and offer solution to it before the initiation of AEC in 2015.
Yudhoyono said through the AEC the region would be made into a single market and a production base, a region with economic competitiveness, economic gaps among members of the association would be narrowed and ASEAN economies would be integrated.
President Yudhoyono is in Brunei Darussalam to attend the 22nd Summit of ASEAN.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
