MPR Deputy Chairman Condemns Thuggery Against Investors, Warns It Threatens Indonesia's Investment Climate
Jakarta - Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Eddy Soeparno, has condemned acts of thuggery targeting investors and business operators. His remarks came in response to a video that recently went viral on social media.
The video showed a number of business operators from Cilegon, representing several national business organisations, who appeared to be coercing and intimidating investors in the Chandra Asri Alkali project by demanding work allocations without going through a tender process. Eddy called for the perpetrators to be dealt with firmly, warning that if left unchecked, such behaviour could disrupt Indonesia's investment climate.
"We are in the process of restoring Indonesia's investment climate following acts of thuggery that have disturbed investors and business operators. Now our image has been tarnished once again by the intimidating actions of certain business operators demanding large work allocations without tender," Eddy said in a statement on Tuesday (13 May 2025).
Eddy noted that the content had spread among both domestic and foreign investors, potentially raising doubts about Indonesia's investment climate. He therefore urged the representatives of business organisations suspected of pressuring and intimidating investors to be dealt with firmly by the leadership of their parent organisations at the national level.
"As I have stated previously, law enforcement authorities must immediately take action against these troublesome individuals so that Indonesia sends a strong signal that we will not tolerate such 'cowboy' behaviour," he stressed.
Furthermore, to prevent investor confidence in Indonesia's investment climate from eroding, the University of Indonesia political science doctorate holder expressed his support for business operators affected by thuggery to promptly report incidents to the Investment Task Force at the Ministry of Investment/BKPM. This would enable the perpetrators to be dealt with and the issues resolved swiftly.
"Lastly, I must reiterate that anyone who disrupts Indonesia's investment and business climate is effectively undermining the government's target of achieving 8 per cent economic growth," he concluded.
The video showed a number of business operators from Cilegon, representing several national business organisations, who appeared to be coercing and intimidating investors in the Chandra Asri Alkali project by demanding work allocations without going through a tender process. Eddy called for the perpetrators to be dealt with firmly, warning that if left unchecked, such behaviour could disrupt Indonesia's investment climate.
"We are in the process of restoring Indonesia's investment climate following acts of thuggery that have disturbed investors and business operators. Now our image has been tarnished once again by the intimidating actions of certain business operators demanding large work allocations without tender," Eddy said in a statement on Tuesday (13 May 2025).
Eddy noted that the content had spread among both domestic and foreign investors, potentially raising doubts about Indonesia's investment climate. He therefore urged the representatives of business organisations suspected of pressuring and intimidating investors to be dealt with firmly by the leadership of their parent organisations at the national level.
"As I have stated previously, law enforcement authorities must immediately take action against these troublesome individuals so that Indonesia sends a strong signal that we will not tolerate such 'cowboy' behaviour," he stressed.
Furthermore, to prevent investor confidence in Indonesia's investment climate from eroding, the University of Indonesia political science doctorate holder expressed his support for business operators affected by thuggery to promptly report incidents to the Investment Task Force at the Ministry of Investment/BKPM. This would enable the perpetrators to be dealt with and the issues resolved swiftly.
"Lastly, I must reiterate that anyone who disrupts Indonesia's investment and business climate is effectively undermining the government's target of achieving 8 per cent economic growth," he concluded.