Mulyani: Obama’s Speech Was Full of Surprise

VIVAnews - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani praised the US President Barack Obama’s speech at the inauguration on Tuesday, 20 January, especially regarding Obama’s concerns with the economic crisis.

“Obama’s speech is a big surprise because at the end of his first paragraph, it seems to show his worries over the future economic condition. As he mentioned in his speech, the economic situation will worsen,” said Mulyani, Jakarta, Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Obama’s statement, said the Finance Minister, indicates that the request for people’s wisdom is the most fundamental issue. “Indonesia has been through this, especially ten years ago during the crisis,” said Mulyani.

At the time, she added, Indonesia did not have a president that was elected directly and peacefully who can tell the Indonesian people that the country is indeed facing a real fundamental economic challenge.

“However, without that, Indonesia already has experience in making fundamental changes about a decade ago. For example the reformation that occurred after the Asian economic crisis,” she said. The crisis eventually brought economic improvement as well as putting Indonesia in a position where it is worthy of comparison with other developing in the world.

Translated by: Ramona Sofianne Dewi