Replace those foreign names

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The government will revoke the business license of any company that does not change its foreign language name by Aug. 17.

The provincial government moved the deadline from March 31 to Aug. 17 to give local businesses more time to Indonesianize their names.

Secretary of the provincial government, Wilfridus Fidelis Pranda, said yesterday that after Aug. 17, when Indonesia celebrates its 51st anniversary, no foreign names will be tolerated.

Chief of the provincial government's office of sociopolitical affairs R. Kadarsono said 169 companies still refuse to change their names, Antara reported.

Some entrepreneurs have refused because they have to go through complicated bureaucratic procedures and spend substantial funds to get the change made. (pan)