Ban on foreign retailers nedeed

Ban on foreign retailers nedeed

JAKARTA (JP): The government was urged yesterday to maintain
the ban on foreign retailers in Indonesia in order to protect the
interests of local traders.

Sudwikatmono (right in the picture above), Chairman of the
Governing Board of the newly-established Indonesian Retailers
Association, argued that foreign retailers which usually own
global chains and have access to capital are obviously out match
Indonesian retailers.

"Therefore, I call on the government to maintain the retail
trade ban on foreign investors," added Sudwikatmono, one of the
country's biggest conglomerates, at the installation of the
executive board of the association.

He contended that, despite the ban, many foreign retailers had
entered the country through franchises and other forms of
business tie-ups with local companies.

"National businessmen should tap the expanding retail trade
opportunities themselves and should not instead lie to themselves
by hiding foreign retail operations in franchise arrangements,"
Sudwikatmono said.

The executive board of the association for the 1994-1996
period was led by H.E. Dachlan of the Golden Truly Supermarket
and Department Store as the general chairman.

Other executives included Hari Darmawan of the Matahari retail
chain as chairman for department stores, Anton Lukmanto of the
Hero supermarket chain as chairman for supermarkets, M.N.
Fauziansyah as chairman for small retail stores and Suryadarma
Ali as secretary general. (vin)