On luring investors

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