Autonomy worries entrepreneurs

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta-based entrepreneurs threaten that they will relocate their businesses if any of the city administration's policies associated with implementation of regional autonomy are not conducive and cause increased costs to their businesses.

"If all the city regulations are not conducive for the entrepreneurs to run their businesses, they may relocate their businesses to other regions which offer competitive benefits such as lower regional minimum wage (UMR) for workers, easier documents processing and lower levies and taxes," Chairman of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) Lili Asudiredja said as quoted by Antara on Sunday.

He said that local regulations should go along with the ones issued by the central government, so that the entrepreneurs can sustain their business.

He also asked the administration not to issue any regulations that would increase production costs.

"We therefore ask the local authority not to issue regulations which will overlap with those of the central government's or of other provinces's, because such overlapping regulations will only complicate business," he said.

He cited fees charged for migrant workers at both the provincial and the mayoralty or regency level as example. (04)