Prabowo: Businesspeople Complain About Waiting 2 Years for Investment Permits!

President Prabowo Subianto has emphasised the need for his administration to facilitate business licensing. He stated that many businesspeople complain about the lengthy process of obtaining permits.

Prabowo said that businesspeople are ready to work and invest but complain that they only receive permits two years after applying.

“Facilitate licensing, don’t make it difficult. Businesspeople also complain; they want to work and invest, but sometimes they wait one year, two years for permits,” Prabowo said at the Attorney General’s Office in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (13/5/2026).

He heard that in a neighbouring country, business permits are processed in just two weeks. Prabowo was annoyed as to why in Indonesia it takes up to two years.

“Whereas in other countries it’s two weeks. We must refer to our neighbours. If they can issue permits in two weeks, why do we take two years? That’s why, simplify the regulations,” said Prabowo.

He continued that convoluted regulations have actually been a ploy by bureaucrats to find loopholes for corruption.

“The tendency of regulations is an initiative from bureaucrats, to be frank, to seek opportunities. Some ask for kickbacks, ask for money so that permits are expedited. We’ve simplified them, but some ministries and agencies create ministerial regulations, technical regulations, this and that again,” said Prabowo.

At the forum, he asked the State Secretary Minister (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi to gather experts to form a special task force to accelerate deregulation. His direction is clear: simplify all regulations.

“Simplify, don’t make it difficult. Businesspeople must be helped and supported. We discipline the naughty ones, but those who are good, who really want to work, must be helped. Many foreign investors also complain that in Indonesia, permits often take a very long time,” Prabowo stressed.