Rina Atriana, Jakarta – National businessperson Prabowo Subianto has criticised Indonesian workers who ask for very high wage increases, saying they should first understand the current conditions faced by companies and the Indonesian economy.

Jakarta – The growth in the number of wealthy individuals over the last 10 years has been spectacular, increasing by five fold or by 500 percent. This can be seen from the total wealth and bank deposits that continue to increase.

Jakarta – In the midst of a global crisis, Indonesia’s economic growth recorded a positive result. Economic growth for the second quarter of this year reached 6.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

Jakarta – Foreign penetration through multi-national companies in the food sector is increasing and spreading.

Jakarta – Foreign domination of strategic economic sectors is spreading and deepening. It has been suggested that the government reorganised strategic economic development so the benefits are more evenly felt by the ordinary people and greater competitiveness in the face of global competition.

Jakarta – Indonesia is currently facing a second phase of deindustrialisation. One of the indicators is the dependency on foreign companies. Renegotiation of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) will not be effective in overcoming the problem of national deindustrialisation.

Jakarta – It would be better if the deliberations on the Draft Law on Land Acquisition for Development be delayed while legal uncertainty over the control of land by communities remains unclear.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is pushing for corporations, both national and multi-national, to be deemed as parties that can also be held liable for human rights violations.

Jakarta – The government should be more serious about controlling the rising rate of inflation. If the situation continues, people’s purchasing power, especially fixed-income labor groups, will continue to decline and impact on national consumption levels.

Man pushing shopping trolley (reading Modern Markets): You sell I buy.

Traditional kiosk and market traders say that the government has been inconsistent with Presidential Decree No 112/2007 on the protection of traditional markets with the rapid and uncontrolled growth of modern markets in urban centers driving them out of business.