Jakarta – In concert with the Occupy Wall Street movement that is calling for reforms to the United States’ economic policies, a similar movement has emerged in Indonesia. The Occupy Jakarta group has been holding protest actions at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building on Jl. Sudirman in Jakarta.

The Occupy Jakarta group comprises university lecturers, non-government organisation activists and people working in the arts. They expressed the view that Indonesia has unknowingly been coopted by capitalist economic ideas like the US.

According to the protesters, capitalism has derailed the course of national development as mandated by the 1945 Constitution and has created sharp disparities between owners of capital and the working class or the majority of ordinary people.

The protesters also warned Indonesia to return to the [original] economic principles of Pancasila (the state ideology) that sides with the majority of people rather than domestic and foreign capitalist. Capitalism has failed to bring prosperity to the ordinary people.

The demonstrators pledged to hold daily actions in front of the JSX building. (DSY)

Source: Occupy Jakarta Tolak Ekonomi Kapitalis – Metrotvnews.com. Rabu, 19 Oktober 2011

 [Translated by James Balowski.]