On luring investors

I would like to comment on the article Words won't lure investors published in The Jakarta Post on March 13.

I was very surprised to read some of the comments in the article which seemed to ignore the reports of the successful launch of the Indonesian Investment Year 2003, which were reported by Adianto P. Simamora in the Post on Feb. 28.

Your article states, for example, that Japanese business executives were given the chance to talk with ministers about their concerns and yet the writer also expresses the frustration of an Asian businessman who could not meet with the President on Feb. 27 at the launch.

The Post reported on Feb. 28 that the President had in fact met with business leaders and your article quotes Harvey Goldstein and T.P. Rachmat as having expressed their concerns. Although I attended the meeting and did not join the small group meeting, I was happy that the senior members of the business community could express the concerns of the larger community, including my concerns.

I also attended the Post launch event at the Borobudur Hotel and I can say that the goals and objectives of the launch were well communicated in English and Bahasa Indonesia by a number of speakers, including Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Jakti, the chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Theo Toemion, and the chairman of the Batam Authority, Ismeth Abdullah.

STEPHEN DOWLING, Director, Finance force Indonesia, Jakarta

Note: Thank you for your attention. The article mentioned that the Asian businessman was indeed invited to the Palace, but he was disappointed as the President failed to announce major economic incentives in her speech and that the translation of her speech in English was not available at that time. She also did not hold a dialog with the invitees during the ceremony.

--Editor