Money-losing high-tech industries<\/p>\n
The State Minister of Research and Technology and Chairman of
\nthe Board for the Study and Application of Technology, B.J.
\nHabibie, has admitted that five of the ten state-owned
\nenterprises under the management of the Management Board for
\nStrategic Industries are losing money.<\/p>\n
They include the Nusantara Aircraft Industry IPTN, the PT PAL
\nshipyard as well as some high-technology industries. According to
\nHabibie the losses are incurred not because the industries'
\nproducts are inferior but because buyers have to pay in cash for
\nthe products offered.<\/p>\n
It seems that without the extension of export credits access
\ninto the export markets will be hard to gain. This is
\nparticularly true for the markets of developing countries because
\nnot only can they not afford to pay in cash, but also because
\nhigh-tech products are generally expensive.<\/p>\n
As a developing country we obviously cannot judge the
\nefficiency of our state-owned enterprises solely from the
\ncommercial point of view. We must also look at the problem from
\nthe long-term strategic standpoint.<\/p>\n
The losses which so far been incurred by IPTN, PT PAL and the
\nothers could perhaps be offset by the value added, gained in
\nterms of transfer of technology and human resources development,
\nboth of which Indonesia needs on its path towards
\nindustrialization. If such a transfer of technology can be
\nachieved, a benefit will be gained that cannot be simply measured
\nin terms of money.<\/p>\n
-- Suara Pembaruan, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/money-losing-high-tech-industries-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }