RI vows better business climate<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono acknowledged on
\nSunday his country needed to speed up reforms and insisted he was
\ncommitted to creating a better environment for business.<\/p>\n
He told an ASEAN business forum here that Indonesia was still
\nin the process of recovering from its political and financial
\ncrises and was moving along the path to democracy.<\/p>\n
\"I have to admit that we have to accelerate the process of
\nreforms into building good governance, be more efficient,
\neffective, tighter, accountable and of course clean,\" said the
\npresident.<\/p>\n
\"We are working very hard to fight corruption. And of course
\neven though we are want to accelerate the process, I have to be
\nfrank that the issues are large,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo, who took office in October 2004, has promised to root
\nout world-leading levels of bribery and kickbacks that have
\npoisoned the Indonesian economy in the eyes of many foreign
\ninvestors.<\/p>\n
Watchdog Transparency International places Indonesia high on a
\nlist of most-corrupt countries globally, and graft in the court
\nsystem is seen as a particular problem.<\/p>\n
Susilo again pledged his commitment to change.<\/p>\n
\"It is my commitment to give you this viewpoint to seek a
\nbetter climate to accelerate the process of reform -- including
\nbureaucratic reforms, including having a healthier business
\nenvironment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The president said he had spearheaded several pro-business
\ninitiatives, including meeting this year with over 30 top
\nIndonesian business leaders to hear their complaints.<\/p>\n
Businesses will also have consultations every two months with
\nministers to voice their opinions, he said.<\/p>\n
Security concerns and bureaucracy have also slowed down much-
\nneeded investment while critics have charged that the
\ngovernment's economic policies lack cohesion and coordination.<\/p>\n
Susilo earlier this month reshuffled his cabinet, assigning
\ntwo respected faces to his economic team.<\/p>\n
At the same forum, Susilo also floated a vision for greater
\nenergy cooperation among Southeast Asian countries and beyond,
\nsaying the region needed to join forces to cope with spiraling
\nconsumption.<\/p>\n
Susilo said joint efforts could capitalize on the different
\nstrengths of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
\nmembers, including major fossil fuel producers Indonesia,
\nMalaysia and Brunei.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's plan realizes \"that some of us are oil producing
\ncountries and others have capital to be shared in building
\nrefineries, in trading, in many things, including in developing
\nbio-energy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo told the forum that as well as bilateral initiatives
\nwithin the region, Asia-Pacific nations could also consider
\nforging alliances with other regions like the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\"We are thinking of that kind of approach and direction,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian leader warned that fuel consumption would
\ncontinue to spiral in the years to come, underlining the need for
\ngreater regional cooperation.<\/p>\n
\"In my own view the consumption of oil will be increasing
\ndramatically in the decades to come in East Asia,\" he said.
\n\"China and India, they will be the biggest consumers of oil.\"<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, which produces, oil, gas and coal, \"our domestic
\nconsumption is also rising dramatically, in transportation and
\nindustries also.\"<\/p>\n
The issue of energy cooperation is looming on the agenda of
\nthe ASEAN summit, which will be held here Monday and Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Susilo said ASEAN had already agreed to work towards boosting
\njoint efforts over energy.<\/p>\n
\"We have agreed within ASEAN to have a more effective energy
\ncooperation,\" he said, citing ongoing plans to produce a
\nSoutheast Asian electricity grid.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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