Many companies change ways of communicating to avoid illness

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The mysterious pneumonia-like ailment, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS, has made several companies in the country change their business habits.

Paul Wahyudin, Export Asset Manager of BP, an oil company based in Britain, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that the company had reduced travel to SARS-affected countries.

"We prefer to postpone business travel to the SARS affected countries, except when absolutely necessary. In general, our company prefers to take precautions," he said.

Paul also said that a meeting with associates from Singapore that was scheduled for last Monday was canceled due to SARS.

Intan Fahmy Firdaus, spokesperson from PT DuPont Indonesia, also said that they had temporarily limited business visits to the SARS-affected countries.

"All business visits to the SARS-affected countries should be reported to our Asia-Pacific office and need permission first," said Intan.

She also said that protective masks had also been distributed at their office and urged to be worn by staff members who could be at risk.

"Staff members who've just come back from affected areas were asked to have medical check-ups," said Intan.

Also, to replace face-to-face meetings, the use of e-mail communications, teleconferences and video conferences are now on the increase in several companies.

Paul said that such communications were sometimes less efficient than a visit, but it provided a measure of safety.

"Through a visit, our associates or business guests could experience and witness more," he said, "But such precautions are the best decision for the country's own sake, instead of giving the disease a chance to become an outbreak in the country."

But another businessman who refused to be identified, complained on these indirect communications. "You know, we cannot communicate with body language or gestures through e-mails or by phone," said the man who had canceled several business trips to Singapore and China due to SARS.

"It is quite impossible for people to describe a grin or smile over the phone. The disease has put us all in a kind of cyberworld."

But the SARS alert has not put all businesses in the country on high alert. "We do not worry about the disease. We witnessed that people in Singapore streets do not even wear masks," said Mega Angkasa, Public Relations Officer of Mustika Ratu, an Indonesian cosmetics producer.