Business Leaders Call for Special Task Force to Support President Prabowo's Hard Work
President Prabowo Subianto is currently on a diplomatic visit to Russia and is working to attract interest from numerous investors. Previously, Prabowo has already secured investment commitments from several major countries such as the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
Business circles view this as a strong signal of Indonesia’s increasing bargaining power in the eyes of international investors. Nevertheless, the main task lies in the domestic realisation phase. Various structural obstacles remain serious challenges that need to be addressed immediately so that these commitments do not end up as mere agreements on paper.
“President has been working extraordinarily to bring in opportunities from abroad, and we highly appreciate that. However, we at HKI and Kadin have observed that in the field, there are still blockages and obstacles. Complicated bureaucracy, inconsistencies in central-regional regulations, and other technical issues often make investors hesitant to break ground,” said Akhmad Ma’ruf Maulana, Vice Chairman of Kadin for special economic zones and national strategic projects, to CNBC Indonesia on Tuesday (14/4/2026).
He urged the government to immediately form a Task Force for Investment Monitoring and Acceleration, which would function as a rapid response unit to comprehensively resolve these obstacles from upstream to downstream.
Investors from advanced countries have high standards for legal certainty and regulatory clarity. Without concrete improvements on the ground, the major opportunities that have opened up risk being lost.
“We do not want these major commitments to become just signing ceremonies. This Task Force for Investment Monitoring and Acceleration must ensure that every dollar promised truly enters industrial zones and delivers real economic impacts,” said Ma’ruf.
Furthermore, businesspeople remain optimistic that Indonesia has great potential to strengthen its position in the global supply chain. However, this requires policy consistency and synergy across stakeholders, including central and regional governments.
The current momentum must be maximised by setting aside sectoral or political interests, so that Indonesia can become a primary competitive investment destination in the region.
“It is time for us to prove to the world, especially our partners from Japan to the Middle East, that Indonesia is not just a comfortable place for discussions, but the most appropriate place to invest,” said Ma’ruf, who is also the General Chairman of the Indonesian Industrial Areas Association (HKI).