Coordinating Minister Luhut Said That Indonesia Should Be A Developed Country During The Soeharto Era Era

Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan (DOK Setkab)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said Indonesia should be able to become a developed country during the New Order era. According to him, Indonesia can be like Singapore in the Soeharto era.

This was conveyed in Luhut's conversation with Deddy Corbuzier. Deddy mentioned why Indonesia did not follow Singapore's example in managing its economic business.

Including, regarding the control of the pandemic. Where Singapore has succeeded in suppressing the spread of the deadly virus to the point that it considers COVID-19 the same as the common cold.

According to Luhut, in dealing with the pandemic, Indonesia cannot be compared to Singapore, whose country is much smaller.

"I'm taking care of 6 million people with 270 million people. Taking care of one island is the same as taking care of 17 thousand islands. Taking care of a lot of kung fu is weird again. Yes, it's not the same, it's different," said Luhut in Deddy Corbuzier's Youtube podcast, Tuesday, July 6. .

"But we also learn from Singapore, why is that, a smaller scale but good education, everything is good," he continued.

Luhut then said that Indonesia could be like Singapore today. In fact, he continued, the country has a lot of intellectuals and can become a developed country.

"In the olden times we actually could, but over time the new order," Luhut quipped.

However, Luhut did not continue with the reason that Indonesia could not progress during the 32-year Suharto era.

"My conclusion is that developed countries don't want developing countries to develop, so if it's not our own making us a developed country, it won't work. People tell us to keep beating us," he explained.

"I repeat that developed countries do not want developing countries to become developed countries. Because I have experienced how they make it difficult for us so that we do not progress. That is a fact," said Luhut.

Luhut explained that these developed nations only want to take Indonesia's wealth without giving them the opportunity to enjoy their own produce. Therefore, the government is more selective in accepting foreign investment.

"He wants the produce to be taken, processed at his place, later sold to us. So we are just a place to store it. We don't want to waste it. That's why I told them, we also want to enjoy the processed products rather than the results. If we don't want us to fight them? That's what's happening now, that's the great thing about Pak Jokowi," he said.

Regarding downstreaming, Luhut once said to Jokowi that there were a few parties who did not like the government's policy of being picky about foreign investment.

"I said 'there are still people who don't like it, just fight it, they say that'. Now that's what I like. But yes, we can play against it. Our constitution teaches us too, we have to be smart," said Luhut.