Govt OKs $232m in new FDI projects<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government approved 87 foreign direct
\ninvestment (FDI) projects worth US$232 million in the first two
\nmonths of the year, an official at the Investment Coordinating
\nBoard said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Asril Noer, an assistant to State Minister of Investment
\nHamzah Haz, said on the sidelines of a seminar here that the
\nforeign investment commitment showed that the country was still
\nattractive for investment despite the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Many people doubt that anyone would ever invest here in a
\ntime of crisis like this. But the fact is that we approved 87
\nprojects for foreign investors in the first two months,\" Asril
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
He did not say, however, how much foreign investment approval
\nwas in the first two months of last year.<\/p>\n
Asril said most of the projects were in export-oriented
\nindustries, mainly agribusiness and fishery.<\/p>\n
Investors from Australia topped the list, committing $105
\nmillion in investments, those from Asian countries investing
\n$87.7 million and British investors investing $22.2.<\/p>\n
Investors from France got approval for $9.6 million worth of
\nprojects, those from the United States $2.1 million, the
\nNetherlands $2 million, Belgium $1.4 million and Spain $1
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
Investors from African countries such as Mauritius made up the
\nremaining $800,000 in approved investment, he said.<\/p>\n
Asril, who read out Hamzah's speech at the seminar, said the
\ngovernment would continue to streamline paperwork procedures for
\nboth foreign and local investors.<\/p>\n
He said his office was considering placing staff in Indonesian
\nembassies abroad to give preliminary approval for foreign
\ninvestors willing to put money in the country.<\/p>\n
When asked about possible changes in investment policies if
\nthere was a new government after the June general election, Asril
\nsaid he saw little possibility for drastic change in policies.<\/p>\n
\"I doubt government policies will change much after the
\nelections because we have to maintain our credibility,\" he said.
\n(das)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-oks-232m-in-new-fdi-projects-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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