Foreign firms ask for increased security<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign business leaders meeting with President
\nB.J. Habibie yesterday said they wanted to see greater security
\nfor their operations and more economic incentives.<\/p>\n
The chief executive officers from 30 foreign investment
\ncompanies said Indonesia remained attractive for business, but
\nthe government needed to give more evidence that the security
\nsituation in the country has improved before it could convince
\nforeign investors to return to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The security situation must be reflected on the streets, in
\nthe harbors and in areas near our factories,\" said Eric Chi,
\npresident of PT Pou Chen Indonesia which produces Nike and Adidas
\nshoes from its factory in Serang, West Java.<\/p>\n
G. Ito, president of textile manufacturer and exporter PT
\nVonex Indonesia, said his major clients have turned to Thailand
\nor China because they doubted his company could meet delivery
\nschedules because of the uncertain situation here.<\/p>\n
Sri Urip, president of the giant consumer product manufacturer
\nPT Unilever Indonesia, gave Habibie a list of complaints and
\nsuggestions to restimulate consumer goods distribution and supply
\ninfrastructure.<\/p>\n
\"The security to reside and to operate here remains a big
\nissue,\" Sri remarked.<\/p>\n
When Habibie pointed out that he owned shares in the publicly
\nlisted Unilever Indonesia, Sri responded: \"Bapak, you're the
\nbiggest individual shareholder.\"<\/p>\n
The meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office was also
\nattended by Armed Forces Commander\/Minister of Defense and
\nSecurity Gen. Wiranto, State Minister of Investment Hamzah Haz
\nand Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan.<\/p>\n
Chi said his company was not affected by the May riots because
\nall his 23,000 workers guarded the factory. But many foreign
\nbuyers were now hesitating about coming to Indonesia because of
\nthe unstable situation.<\/p>\n
Some of the CEOs also asked for more economic incentives.<\/p>\n
S.A. Issenmann, president of Nestle Indonesia proposed cuts in
\nimport duties for raw materials, especially for milk products.<\/p>\n
Sri said people had been complaining at the soaring prices of
\nUnilever products, particularly detergents, soaps and
\ntoothpastes.<\/p>\n
She said that Unilever had continued its normal production
\nlevels but shortages had developed nevertheless because some of
\nthe products were being smuggled to neighboring Singapore and
\nMalaysia by people to take advantage of the higher prices there.<\/p>\n
Habibie promised to look into their complaints and
\nsuggestions, including lower import tariffs. He said he would do
\nhis best to cultivate a more favorable investment climate.<\/p>\n
\"We are a team here. We're all presidents, I am president of
\n202 million people and you are the president of your companies,\"
\nsaid Habibie.<\/p>\n
Rahardi told reporters later that the government would
\nseriously consider all those proposals and acknowledged that the
\ngovernment should give more facilities to downstream industries.<\/p>\n
\"We will give greater (priority) to developing and protecting
\nexporters. But this problem needs to be discussed further with
\nthe director-general of tax,\" he said. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-firms-ask-for-increased-security-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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