"The Ministry of Communications and Informatics (Depkominfo) needs to take a lesson from previous agreements (with Singapore) such as the defense cooperation agreement and the extradition treaty which have been assessed disadvantageous to Indonesia," Anas Urbaningrum, associate chairman of the Democrat Party, said.
He was commenting on the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Depkominfo and Singapore on development of E-Government, E-Commerce, E-Education and E-Business Platform.
Observers and the press in Indonesia have said Singapore had already acquired Indonesian telecommunication companies (Indosat and Telkomsel) and certain banks so that the MoU with Depkomnfo was only further increasing Singapore's control over Indonesian assets.
Anas who is a former associate chairman of the Indonesian Islamic Students Association (HMI), said all forms of cooperation with foreign countries and international institutions must be based on the national interest.
"All memorandums of understanding with foreign parties such as Singapore must be meaningful for the progress of our nation. They must be based on the national interest," he said.
He said Indonesia must really be smart in translating the MoUs into technical cooperation agreements so that they would really benefit Indonesia.
"It (MoU) should not benefit Singapore only such as the Defense Cooperation Agreement and the Extradition Treaty which observers have deemed disadvatageous to Indonesia," he said.
That's why, the Depkominfo needs to learn from previous cases that were viewed to be harmful to the national interest, he said.
"In this way, steps taken to open ourselves to the conclusion of all kinds of cooperation agreements will really be useful for the nation and state," Anas added.
He said it was true that Indonesia would gain nothing from isolating itself but opening itself to international cooperation without caution would also be harmful.
Quelle/Source: Trading Markets, 11.09.2007
