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15-20 billion in Cambodia. So, almost 100 million are not
really consumers, are not really middle class, are not really
the market that the world would like to see us. And our own
industries and enterprises are also not benefiting from those
who are at that level because their income is not high enough
to be consumers of your products or services.
So, it is the challenge of all ASEAN that we need to
somehow lift all boats, including fishing boats, not only the
yachts of the elite or the rich, so that the purchasing power
of this expanding middle class will grow so that together we
will attract more investment. We will be able to trade more
among ourselves and with the rest of the world. The average
of more than 6.5 growth rate percent a year would increase.
At the end, eventually, everyone will get benefit.
That’s what I would called the real ASEAN identity,
a sense of belonging to one community together, ownership
together, responsibility to contribute and to participate. Then,
you will have that community, otherwise, we will be living into
the future and not knowing when is the timeline and how are
we going to get them.
My message is to involve the people, to engage the
people and to create conditions and environment and to
encourage that people or a larger number of people can
participate in the ASEAN enterprise. Otherwise, that vision
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