Investors urged to play role in ensuring security
Investors urged to play role in ensuring security
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Minister of Defense Juwono Soedarsono urged the corporate sector
to share the responsibility of providing stable security
conditions in the country by ensuring the welfare of their
employees as well as help improve the welfare of local
communities.
Speaking in front of hundreds of domestic and foreign
investors on the second day of the two-day Infrastructure Summit
on Tuesday, Juwono said no country could provide absolute
guarantees for security, adding that the key ingredient to
security was social and economic equity.
Juwono said with the limited capacity of the country's
security apparatus, both in terms of funding and human resources,
it was impossible to guarantee security for every citizen, while
at the same time current high unemployment and poverty served as
imminent threats to public order if they were not addressed
properly.
"For the next five to 10 years, we are going to face a lot of
glitches socially, economically and culturally simply because a
large number of people are unemployed and living below the
poverty line," he said, adding that this problem could be
addressed only through better economic and social development.
"I appeal to you to consider the added cost of providing
security for your employees, health services and scholarship
schemes, especially for employees in remote areas, to give them
some hope for a better future for us and Indonesia," the defense
minister said.
Many investors have long complained about poor security in the
country, which is considered one of the main reasons for the drop
in foreign direct investment.
Industrial action is another determent to investment, with
employees often protesting low wages or unfavorable working
conditions, while people living near a company's production site
protest or block entry to and looting of company assets.
Such protests have led to security disturbances that have
affected a company's operation, and further heightened overall
security concerns in the country.
During the session, some businesspeople asked about the
involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in business, and
questioned the government's intention to end this practice.
Juwono responded by saying that the government was trying to
figure out a system under which TNI's businesses could continue
to finance the activities of the troops, especially in securing
the welfare of its low-ranking personnel.
"It is my duty to set up a system for these companies to be
become state-owned enterprises and ensure the welfare of our
soldiers in the future," the minister remarked.