Deputy Chairman of the Republic of Indonesia DPR for Korinbang Sector, Rachmat Gobel, said investment and trade, especially from and with foreign parties have an important position. "However, the economy, including investment and trade, must not damage the nation's culture and values," he said, Sunday, January 29, 2023. He conveyed this while participating in online and offline dialogues with teachers in Pare, Kediri, East Java. The event titled Cokroaminoto Education Gathering was held by Syarikat Islam (SI). The event was also attended by Prof. Dr. Endang Caturwati, a lecturer from Unpad Bandung who is also an SI activist. The organization, which was originally named Syarekat Dagang Islam, was founded by Haji Samanhudi but later changed to SI under HOS Tjokroaminoto. The event took the theme of the Education, Culture and Economy-Based Indonesian Change Movement.

One example of an economy that damages the nation's culture and values is the import of used clothing and the import of batik-patterned textiles. Therefore, when Gobel became minister of trade, he prohibited the import of these goods. Used clothing, he said, not only kills the small garment industry but also shows a nation that lacks honor and dignity.

Meanwhile, imports of batik-patterned textiles, he said, would kill batik crafts. “The garment industry and batik crafts are cultural products. There are values, there is creativity, there is intellect, which is the legacy of our ancestors. If we allow imports of textiles with batik motifs, then batik will eventually die and eventually, at some point in several generations, we will no longer recognize batik because everything has been imported," he said.

Gobel also reminded about the importance of culture-based economy. According to him, there are four cultural-based economic advantages. First, the raw materials are predominantly local. Second, generally in the village. Third, the scale is MSME. Fourth, is unique. "So a culture-based economy will strengthen the Unitary Republic of Indonesia, not just money," he said. Culture-based economic products, he said, are traditional textiles, furniture, handicrafts, carvings, wickerwork, culinary arts, and others.

On the other hand, said Gobel, in general, foreign investment always brings its culture with it. This is not only attached to the product, but also mainly because it will bring along the people.

"Because the person comes, the culinary will also be present, then the behavior, and so on. Of course not everything is negative, there are also many positive things. It's just that we need to be aware of the importance of cultural resilience," he said.

According to him, in this era of globalization, the nation's culture increasingly has a very important position. Gobel said, the era of globalization is an era where the boundaries of a country become increasingly imaginary. The traffic of goods and people, he said, is becoming increasingly borderless. A nation, he said, will be more plural.

"Race and ethnicity are not differentiators of a nation. What distinguishes one nation from another is its culture. Ethnicity and race can be the same. Therefore, national culture must continue to be strengthened and become the superiority of a nation," he said.

In that context, said Gobel, education is a significant factor in maintaining the nation's culture. “Not only in formal education in schools but also in corporate education. The company is not only a place to make money but also a place where the nation's culture is cultivated and a place of self-dedication to the nation and state.

Because of that at my company at Panasonic Gobel every 17th there is a flag ceremony. This started since the late Thayeb M Gobel as the founder and has become a culture until now," he said. Gobel also criticized the Ministry of Education and Culture for not paying enough attention to this cultural issue, especially with the information that the Directorate of Arts and Directorate of History had abolished it.

Gobel reminded that the quality of human resource development is the key in entering a superior and advanced civilization. "That's the most basic and most important. We must understand the philosophy of people before product. Making a product is not difficult, first and foremost is building the people first.

From quality and character human beings, quality and character products will be born. Therefore the progress and excellence of a person or a nation is not about money and materials but about the quality of human resources," he said.

"Nationalism in this global era must have a new meaning," he said.