Rini plans road shows to restore confidence
<p>Rini plans road shows to restore confidence</p><p>Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta</p><p> Minister of Industry and Trade Rini M. Soewandi is planning
road shows to Indonesia's main export markets to restore
confidence in Indonesia amid fears that many buyers could stop
purchasing from Indonesia following the deadly Bali bomb attack.</p><p>It is feared that many buyers might shift orders to other
countries should Indonesia's efforts to identify the perpetrators
of the bomb attack and to crack down on terrorists fail to
satisfy the global community.</p><p>"The road shows are aimed to win back foreign buyers'
confidence so that they will continue buying from Indonesia. Ibu
Rini will explain actions being taken by the government to
resolve the Bali tragedy," director general for international
affairs at the ministry, Sudar SA, said.</p><p>Japan, the United States and Singapore are the country's
largest export markets. Top export products include textiles,
electronics, footwear, wood products as well as agriculture
commodities.</p><p>The timetable for the road shows is being arranged.</p><p>According to Sudar, thus far the Bali incident had not had a
direct impact on the country's exports as most export contracts
for the rest of the year had been signed prior to the Bali
incident.</p><p>"Our focus concerns export orders for next year. We want to
minimize the adverse impacts of the Bali incident on our export
performance for next year," said Sudar after a meeting with
several business associations on Tuesday.</p><p>The meeting, which was presided over by Rini, was aimed at
seeking input from local association executives concerning
solutions to the Bali bombing and to explain to them the actions
being taken by the government.</p><p>Rini also plans to hold a similar meeting with representatives
of foreign buyers here next week.</p><p>"During the meeting, Rini urged businesspeople to remain calm
and continue their business activities as usual," said Sudar.</p><p>Exports from the country have decreased over the past couple
of months amid the global economic slowdown.</p><p>Aside from consumption, export is the key driver of the
country's economic growth amid the lingering economic crisis and
the drop in domestic and foreign investments.</p><p>Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) says that
from January to August, the country's exports fell to US$37.35
billion from $39.34 billion in the same period last year.</p><p>Rini earlier claimed that labor conflicts were one of the
major factors causing the dismal export performance because
foreign buyers had shifted their orders to other countries due to
fears that local exporters could face problems in meeting
delivery schedules.</p><p>On Monday, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun
Kuntjoro-Jakti also held a similar meeting with several foreign
and domestic investors.</p><p>During the meeting, businesspeople warned the government that
it must capture the perpetrators of the Bali bombing and take
tougher action against terrorists to restore confidence in doing
business in Indonesia. If Indonesia failed, the impact on the
country's economy would be enormous, they said.</p>
road shows to Indonesia's main export markets to restore
confidence in Indonesia amid fears that many buyers could stop
purchasing from Indonesia following the deadly Bali bomb attack.</p><p>It is feared that many buyers might shift orders to other
countries should Indonesia's efforts to identify the perpetrators
of the bomb attack and to crack down on terrorists fail to
satisfy the global community.</p><p>"The road shows are aimed to win back foreign buyers'
confidence so that they will continue buying from Indonesia. Ibu
Rini will explain actions being taken by the government to
resolve the Bali tragedy," director general for international
affairs at the ministry, Sudar SA, said.</p><p>Japan, the United States and Singapore are the country's
largest export markets. Top export products include textiles,
electronics, footwear, wood products as well as agriculture
commodities.</p><p>The timetable for the road shows is being arranged.</p><p>According to Sudar, thus far the Bali incident had not had a
direct impact on the country's exports as most export contracts
for the rest of the year had been signed prior to the Bali
incident.</p><p>"Our focus concerns export orders for next year. We want to
minimize the adverse impacts of the Bali incident on our export
performance for next year," said Sudar after a meeting with
several business associations on Tuesday.</p><p>The meeting, which was presided over by Rini, was aimed at
seeking input from local association executives concerning
solutions to the Bali bombing and to explain to them the actions
being taken by the government.</p><p>Rini also plans to hold a similar meeting with representatives
of foreign buyers here next week.</p><p>"During the meeting, Rini urged businesspeople to remain calm
and continue their business activities as usual," said Sudar.</p><p>Exports from the country have decreased over the past couple
of months amid the global economic slowdown.</p><p>Aside from consumption, export is the key driver of the
country's economic growth amid the lingering economic crisis and
the drop in domestic and foreign investments.</p><p>Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) says that
from January to August, the country's exports fell to US$37.35
billion from $39.34 billion in the same period last year.</p><p>Rini earlier claimed that labor conflicts were one of the
major factors causing the dismal export performance because
foreign buyers had shifted their orders to other countries due to
fears that local exporters could face problems in meeting
delivery schedules.</p><p>On Monday, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun
Kuntjoro-Jakti also held a similar meeting with several foreign
and domestic investors.</p><p>During the meeting, businesspeople warned the government that
it must capture the perpetrators of the Bali bombing and take
tougher action against terrorists to restore confidence in doing
business in Indonesia. If Indonesia failed, the impact on the
country's economy would be enormous, they said.</p>