Pillars of RI economy<\/p>\n
I would like to add to Margarette Haskell's comments Foreign
\ninvestment in Indonesia published in The Jakarta Post dated Feb.
\n28. In my 30 years of doing business in Indonesia, I have heard
\nmy share of complaints, criticisms and both horror and success
\nstories from foreigners doing business in Indonesia. While there
\nare always two sides to every story and no business goes without
\nits share of problems, one thing is for sure, foreign investors
\ndeserve to be given a fair and level playing field, which is
\ncertainly not the present case.<\/p>\n
Being very candid, my observation and experience is that
\nforeign investors are not viewed as a national assets but more
\noften than not \"portrayed as competitors who take jobs from the
\nlocals,\" or even as \"opportunists only interested in making a
\nquick buck who then exit stage right\".<\/p>\n
As a consequence thereof, laws and services lean more toward
\nprotectionism and less toward supporting foreign investment.
\nQuite the contrary, along with the risk of losing their money,
\nmost businesses are complex and require a long-term commitment.
\nIf one is to enjoy any return on the investment, one must be
\nsmart, work diligently and adapt to local conditions.<\/p>\n
Benefits to Indonesia are much more than simply cash; they are
\na continuous and wealthy spread of knowledge, expertise, jobs,
\ntraining, and quality control that provide competitive services
\nand products for national and exported consumption. A showcase
\nare those of Chinese, Arab, and Indian descent, who in the past
\ncame as foreign investors and with time have become Indonesian
\ncitizens and are now \"pillars of the economy.\"<\/p>\n
At a time when rebuilding Indonesia's economy is so vital, it
\nis a shame that we are losing so many potential foreign investors
\nto competitive Asian neighbors who are much more service-oriented
\nand whose laws support their cause.<\/p>\n
Much hope and trust have been put on the Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla administration to make constructive
\nchanges that will improve Indonesia's economy and ultimately,
\nimprove the standard of living. The burden is heavy and many
\nsteps are required to achieve positive results and move Indonesia
\nonto a path to prosperity. Making Indonesia more conducive to
\nboth small and large-scale foreign investments is just one of the
\nmany essential adjustments that is urgently required.<\/p>\n
Given that the media plays a crucial role as an independent
\nand objective voice, may I suggest the Post do a feature article
\nthat provides a comprehensive report on the issues, obstacles,
\nand expectations of foreign investors doing business in
\nIndonesia. I am sure many foreign investors, even some similar to
\nmyself who have spent a significant number of years in Indonesia,
\nwill welcome the opportunity to be interviewed and contribute to
\nthis topic.<\/p>\n
RON MULLERS, PT Eatertainment International Tbk., Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pillars-of-ri-economy-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }