Investment in Batam

Investment in Batam

There is good and bad news from Batam. The good news concerns
about 90 prospective investors from Taiwan. The bad is that
foreign investors will quit Batamindo Industrial Park next year.

The strong interest of Taiwanese businessmen to invest in
Batam indicates that Batam still has business appeal to foreign
investors.

The strategic location of Batam, with good infrastructure, has
obviously become the speciality of the city island.

However, speciality is not enough. The investors need good
security, which has become a very rare and expensive commodity in
most parts of the country, including Batam.

Workers' consistent demands for higher wages will also pose a
problem to investors.

Security could be the main factor that encourages investors to
leave Batam. Capital flight always brings loss to the country. In
such a situation we do need investors.

All layers of society must join hands to preserve a good
climate for investors.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta