'I wanted to be a priest when I was a boy'

'I wanted to be a priest when I was a boy'

Tantri Yuliandini and Johannes Simbolon, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chief Theo F. Toemion has his work cut out for him in trying to entice back foreign investors in one of the country's darkest hours. Mission impossible? Perhaps, but Theo, a relatively young 45 in Indonesia's corridors of power, is known outside of politics as a successful businessman and dynamic personality. So, what made him the man he is today?

If you had the choice, what would you be doing now?

I would want to live in London, play the money market, and generally enjoy life.

What makes you tick?

My family. They love me and that's the most important thing for me. I don't live for anybody else's expectations except for my family's.

What trait do you most like about yourself?

I am always optimistic. As a child I said to myself that I would be a successful man, I would be rich and I would travel around the world.

And dislike?

Nothing, because I know that however I am doing, God loves me.

Whom do you admire?

My parents, my mother and father. My mother lives for the children although she has been highly educated and my father is a workaholic -- he put in 35 years at Bank Indonesia without flaw. I'm very proud of him.

What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

Classy. I am typically Manadonese, I like classy clothes. Live in style, as long as you can afford it. I collect top brands.

What was the last book you read?

I Was Wrong by Jim Baker.

What makes you angry?

I can easily get angry, but I am also forgiving. Especially when people don't use their logic, if something sounds false, it can quickly make me mad. Also, undisciplined drivers who annoy me on the street.

When was the last time you were angry?

Most of the time, but I can't remember precisely.

What characteristics do you dislike in others?

People who like to play tricks on others.

Are we alone in the universe?

I don't think so, God is only as far away as a prayer.

What makes you laugh?

Manado jokes, but the clean ones of course. I could laugh until my belly aches.

And cry?

In church, when praying, I ask myself why I did a certain sinful thing. Regretting my sins, that makes me cry.

What is your favorite smell?

Grilled fish and the cooking smells wafting out of a kitchen. I remember in my village, in the late afternoon, there were fried chili and tomato smells coming out of the kitchen, oh, those smells are really something.

If there were something you could change about your appearance, what would it be?

I would want to be more simple, I waste too much money on clothes. As a boy all I wanted was to be a priest and live in a village; alas, I grew up in Manado city, in London and in Jakarta! (laughs).

What makes life worth living?

The knowledge that God loves me, and my family loves me.

Do you have a favorite song?

I like all country music.

And movie?

Mission Impossible, and movies like that.

What is your favorite food?

Chili, grilled fish.

What characteristics do you love in a woman?

Intelligence and inner beauty. So from afar she may be ugly, but up close she's beautiful, that's inner beauty.

Do you ever worry about your weight?

Yes. Once I went up to 109 kilograms, now I'm 80 kilograms. I'm still worried but at least I am fitter.

Where is your favorite hangout?

At home, I have a big garden, I can play soccer with my security guards. I can do gardening. There is nothing else better.

What is the cost of popularity?

I don't crave popularity. It comes by itself. It comes by itself at the right time. I may be popular while the crisis is on, but I didn't crave it.

What will you being doing 20 years from now?

That means I will be 65, maybe I will go back to my hometown in Tomohon (North Sulawesi). I have a small home at the foot of the mountain.

How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a person who is not afraid of being different. I don't want to flow with the current, so to speak.

If the world were going to end in 24 hours, what would you do?

I would just stay quiet, because I know exactly where I will go to! (laughs).