MANUFACTURING SECTOR CAN BE INDONESIA'S BACKBONE IN AEC

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 31 (Antara) -- It is believed that the Indonesian market will have the most potential in the region, following the commencement of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) at the end of 2015.       This certainty is keeping in mind that Indonesia is the largest member state of the ASEAN, with a population of more than 240 million.          Therefore, Indonesia should increase its competitiveness, if it wants its market to play a major role in the region and prevent the flood of products from other ASEAN nations into the country.          "With the observation that Indonesia's economic growth prospects are likely to remain positive, the country will become an important target market for various member countries of the ASEAN," Dean of Gadjah Mada University's Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Erwan Agus Purwanto, said.          He pointed out that with its gross domestic product being the largest in the region, Indonesia will become the target market for Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and other ASEAN countries.