Business leader warns of damaging impact of anti-U.S. protests
Vincent Lingga, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The unqualified success of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's recent state visit to the United States and her powerful speech to business leaders at a gala dinner in Washington could be eclipsed if the current anti-American crusade goes overboard, warned Indonesian business leader Tony Agus Ardie.
Tony said despite their preoccupation with the devastating impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, American businesspeople remain greatly interested in investing in Indonesian development, notably in harnessing the country's abundant natural resources.
"During a roundtable discussion held before the gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton hotel, American business leaders were straightforward in presenting their views to President Megawati about their role in the Indonesian economy and the problems they are encountering in implementing that role," Tony said.
As the chairman of the United States committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tony was the sole representative of Indonesia's business community at the meeting which was attended by around 24 CEOs of American companies with major interests in Indonesia. Megawati was accompanied by the economics ministers that joined her entourage.
"I observed later at the gala dinner how impressed the American business community was with Megawati's speech which they said was powerfully written and well delivered. Several businessmen and senators I met after Megawati left for Tokyo even noted that her speech struck a chord in relation to many issues that resonated with the core of American thinking," Tony said.
But this investment would be wasted if no new American capital began to flow into the country next year after the dust of the aftermath of the terrorist attacks settled down. This may well happen, he added, if the nation could not manage its emotional response to the attacks on Afghanistan and began to threaten American interests here.
"A number of businessmen I met in Washington and New York told me how they could still contribute to the Indonesian economy by helping small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) set up links with the export market chain, as has been done so far in Bali and several other provinces," he said.
American buyers, according to Tony, can help Indonesian SMEs select the right products for the U.S. market and train locals to produce according to the designs, patterns or other specifications preferred by consumers overseas.
"But this can only happen if we act as good hosts to foreign guests." Here, I think, lies the important role of the next Indonesian ambassador to the United States in following up the positive impression left behind by President Megawati.
The businessmen and senators I talked to suggested that the new ambassador be at least of the same caliber of former ambassador Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-jakti, now coordinating minister for the economy and industry, who is a U.S.-trained economist," he said.
According to Tony, there are two names currently circulating in Washington as the candidate for the new Indonesian ambassador to the U.S. They are Sri Edi Swasono, a U.S.-trained economist, former chairman of the Indonesian Cooperatives Council and now professor at the school of economics, University of Indonesia. The other is Soemadi D.M. Brotodiningrat, a career diplomat, who is now Indonesia's ambassador to Tokyo and a socio-political scientist by training.