Batam (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Japanese electronics company Japan Servo has shut down three of its seven plants in the industrialized island of Batam because of declining orders. Since early this year the company had slashed the number of its workers, Indonesian manpower office head Rudi Sakyakirti said on Tuesday. Early last year, Japan Servo discharged 700 of its 2,400 workers, he said.

The Indonesian Employers Association is urging the new government to harmonize central and local regulations in a bid to improve the business climate and encourage investment. The coordination of regulations across different levels of government is the top priority among 10 recommendations put forth by the association, which is also known as Apindo.

The Association of Indonesian National Importers (Ginsi) has accused the Finance Ministry's Directorate General of Customs and Excise of years of abuse, and pleaded with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to step in. Ginsi chairman Amirudin said Tuesday the Indonesian customs office had violated government and World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations by implementing higher import charges.

This was really an anti-climax that will put off investors and disillusion most of the voters who re-elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last July. Under public-opinion pressures to meet the deadline, the House of Representatives rushed to approve the Corruption Court bill one day before the end of its five-year tenure Wednesday.

Riau Islands Governor Ismeth Abdullah inaugurated on Monday the Batam Training centre established by Dubai Drudocks World, Southeast Asia's biggest shipbuilder, which will train the company's current and prospective employees in an effort to improve their skills in shipbuilding, ship repair and management. "The training centre will help enhance the local workers' skills to the standard required by the company.