Hipmi urged to fill the many distribution chain vacancies

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said yesterday in a meeting with executives of the Association of Young Indonesian Businessmen that they should fill the vacancies in the business distribution chain created by fleeing nonindigenous entrepreneurs.

"In such times of economic crisis, pak Habibie called on us to participate by filling the vacancies in the distribution chain," the association's chairman, Bambang Wiyogo, told journalists after the meeting.

"We are ready. We already have a network in cities throughout Indonesia and we will use it for distribution purposes," he said.

While the ethnic Chinese only make up about 4 percent of the population, they are widely perceived as controlling the economy.

Thousands of Indonesians fled the country in the wake of the riots in several major cities in May. Most of those who left were Chinese-Indonesians who were conspicuously targeted during the unrest.

Many have yet to return, leaving the distribution chain of many goods barely functioning.

It is unclear whether Habibie's call on the young entrepreneurs was meant as a permanent move or a temporary gesture until those who fled return.

Bambang said the association asked Habibie to create a more open and fair business climate which included equality for indigenous businessmen.

"In the past tremendous opportunities and facilities were given to nonindigenous entrepreneurs. We hope that this will not happen again now," he said.

Later yesterday evening Habibie received about 175 members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss the latest political and economic developments.

Kadin chairman Aburizal Bakrie reasserted in his address the importance of a security guarantee from the government and the Armed Forces to encourage nonindigenous entrepreneurs to return.

"Kadin asks nonindigenous Indonesian businesspeople, both at home and abroad, to immediately resume their economic activities.

"Now is the time to prove our nationalism and sense of nationhood," he asserted.

Aburizal conceded that the problems faced by Chinese- Indonesians were not solely economic in nature.

"Many other aspects have contributed to the depreciation of people's welfare and prosperity. Among them is the question of confidence, confidence in Indonesia and our national economy," he added.

To Kadin, Habibie once again implored, and at one point almost seemed to threaten, economic players to restart their activities.

"I'm not fooling or kidding here," Habibie remarked while warning that if distributors continued to delay recommencing their activities he would replace them all.

Election

Commenting on calls for speedy elections, Habibie claimed that the schedule of polls in May was chosen because it would give everyone time to prepare themselves adequately.

He boasted that if polls were held immediately the dominant Golkar organization would prevail.

"As the executive coordinator of Golkar's board of patrons I would prefer to have a hasty election. I'm sure Golkar would win because it has been around for 34 years. But as President I have to be fair to the others," he remarked.

"Maybe it wouldn't win 74 percent but at least about 50 percent," he said, while claiming that holding elections next year would be fair on other contesting parties, many of whom have not had the opportunity to publicize themselves. (mds)