REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia must be optimistic in order to play an important role in international forums such as the G-20 Summit, said Zaenal A Budiyono, the Executive Director of Developing Countries Studies Centre (DCSC) Indonesia, on Sunday. Domestic political ploy must not hamper the optimism, he added.

"A pessimistic view of the future of Indonesia is unfounded whatsoever. It is developed by certain groups with different political agenda against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he stated in "homework to do, such as tackling religious conflicts, corruption, and a complicated bureaucracy".

However, he added, the government had made a lot of progress in many areas such as democracy, employment, and poverty reduction. According to Zaenal, it is important for a nation to build a consensus on nation-building and national spirit.

With a common vision, he said, the dynamics among political elites would not hamper the nation`s goals. "All parties can compete in a healthy manner in a democratic setup, but should not ever try to weaken the spirit of progress among the people," Zaenal added.

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