Careful with foreign investment

Careful with foreign investment

How to attract foreign investment without harming the country? We need good negotiators who will not let themselves be bamboozled. In addition, businesspeople and government officials, including their cronies, must refrain from interfering in favor of certain parties. Experience shows that this kind of interference can be so strong that our negotiators are forced to give in to it.

For their part, the enforcers of the law must be consistent in upholding regulations. In the past, violations by investors increased because the law enforcers were inconsistent in doing their job and lacked muscle.

We would like to remind everyone that foreign investment is essentially merely an alternative means of financing. Another thing that needs to be done is to empower all members of the community in order that they will be able to provide for their own needs. Helping small businesses develop could be a good start. Additionally, a climate must be developed that encourages innovation and pioneering since these are the basic ingredients that spur a nation's growth.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta