Business Leaders: New Investment Requires Policy Certainty from Government
Bisnis.com, JAKARTA — The business community considers policy certainty to be the primary factor in maintaining and restoring investor confidence amid domestic and global economic conditions.
Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo) Sanny Iskandar said active communication between the government and business players is urgently needed at present.
According to Sanny, recent global and domestic economic dynamics have left investors requiring additional assurance before making expansion or new investment decisions. Under such conditions, the government’s role becomes crucial in sending signals that calm the market.
“Indeed, investors must always be reassured, especially given the recent situation which may have caused concern among many parties,” Sanny told Bisnis, as quoted on Tuesday (17/2/2026).
He added that the President and ministry leaders need to engage in more frequent dialogue with the business community to hear firsthand about the various obstacles encountered on the ground.
Communication forums are regarded not merely as venues for conveying aspirations, but also as spaces for formulating joint solutions.
Sanny cited a recent meeting between business players and the President, where Apindo was invited to present a number of issues whilst also offering concrete solutions. The dialogue, he said, gave the business community a sense of being heard.
“We also conveyed the obstacles and problems encountered on the ground, but we also provided solutions,” he explained.
Beyond direct dialogue, the government was also said to have provided communication access through a dedicated hotline so that business players can promptly report any difficulties they face. This measure is expected to accelerate problem resolution without having to wait for formal forums.
According to Sanny, ease of communication access is important to ensure no business player experiences prolonged difficulties in conducting their operations. A rapid response from the government would serve as an indicator of its seriousness in creating a conducive business climate.
Furthermore, he stressed that the main challenge at present is not solely the substance of regulations, but rather their implementation.
The business community requires consistent policy certainty, including legal certainty and security, so that investment decisions are not delayed.
“That is what in reality is often difficult to implement. Actually, the regulations are already fine — it’s the implementation,” he explained.
Previously, the Indonesian Industrial Estate Association (HKI) revealed that numerous regulatory disputes in the country continue to hinder investors, including overlapping regulations, multi-tiered licensing procedures, and excessively frequent policy changes.
HKI Chairman Akhmad Ma’ruf Maulana said these conditions frequently constitute real barriers to investment in Indonesia, both for new capital investment and the development of existing industrial operations.
He emphasised that the primary concern felt by investors does not lie with business standards or obligations, but rather with regulatory uncertainty and inconsistent implementation on the ground.
“Investors are not afraid of regulations, but what they worry about is uncertainty. In many cases, investment interest already exists, but realisation is held back because regulations are not synchronised and change too frequently,” said Ma’ruf in an official statement.