In the end of 2015 ASEAN Economic Community would be officially announced. It would enliven ASEAN markets and could be a benchmark of Indonesia economy. Welcoming AEC 2015, all Indonesians including university students and academicians in Indonesia ought to enhance their skills and prepare themselves in order to be able to compete with other states and elevate Indonesia economy in ASEAN.
It has been carried out by Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogykarta (UMY) to get ready for AEC. Thus, the theme of UMY’s 34th anniversary is “With High Quality of Human Resources, UMY Is Ready for ASEAN Economic Community”. “Alhamdulillah, this theme was acceded. Taking this theme is with the purpose in order that UMY could be more prepared for confronting AEC. Moreover, we could take a lesson to face AEC,” told Dr. Nano Prawoto, S.E., M.Si., the person in charge of UMY’s 34th Anniversary.
Nano said that the theme is nearly similar with the theme of the 33th Anniversary. Yet, this year stressed the quality of human resources and AEC. “We need recognize that AEC is a novelty in ASEAN. Therefore, when AEC has taken place on the coming December 2015, signing states in the organization have to encounter several freedoms of economy in Indonesia,” he explained.
He asserted that there are five liberties which AEC countries need follow. “When Indonesia is part of AEC, there are five liberties to follow, namely free flow of goods, free flow of services, free flow of investment, free flow of capital, and free flow of skilled labor. However, Indonesian migrant worker (TKI) has not counted in free flow of skilled labor. It is only good-skilled graduates who are free of going in and out ASEAN countries without any barriers,” he conveyed.
Moreover, Nano continued, Indonesians would gain advantages like subsidized goods despatch does not need shipping notice anymore. “For instance, if there are a number of cows to import a year, it is not necessary to join another company in Indonesia. We are free to invest in any country without joining beforehand,” he elucidated.
According to Nano, there are several aspects to confront AEC since it would be a disaster for Indonesia if the people are not prepared. “Indonesia ought to arrange good human resources for AEC. If not so, we would only be onlookers in our own country. Indonesia would get import goods, educational services, and health services from other countries. It obviously might not happen, so that we have to organize human resources having high competitiveness and ourselves to be able to compete with other countries,” he uttered.
Hence, Nano added, preparing Indonesians for AEC could not be separable from roles of universities to foster human resources because states borders are getting apparent. “I wish that we could have high motivation and realize that we do not live alone. We have to live with other countries, which are free flow of transaction for both goods and services. If we remain silent and have weak competitiveness and education, it could be noticed that we are colonized,” he emphasized.
At least, Nano inserted, Indonesia could obtain merits of being a member of AEC. For example, Indonesia could perform expansion of goods to other countries or of educational sector. “Hence, students need high motivation and effort since we compete in not only Bantul, Yogya, and Indonesia but also other states,” he advised.
Additionally, UMY’s 34th Anniversary would be officially opened by Malam Tasyakuran (Night of Gratitude to God) on Saturday, 28 February 2015 and closed by Family Day and Cycling on Sunday, 12 April 2015. There would also be Rector Annual Report, Anniversary Remark, International Conference as International Conference on Accounting and Finance (ICAF), International Conference on Management Science, and International Conference on Islamic Economics and Financial Inclusion (ICIEFI), National Seminar, Entrepreneurship Exhibition, academic and nonacademic competitions, and social service.
