Time to end indigenous-nonindigenous strains

Sofjan Wanandi does not believe laws which discriminate any group would be effective in reducing tension between indigenous and nonindigenous people. The spokesman of the Jimbaran Group of tycoons and chairman of the Gemala Group advocates economic integration and clear governmental policy to bridge differences.

Question: Do you think we need legislation barring Chinese descents from some business sectors?

Answer: No. What I really meant (when addressing a seminar last week) was that nonindigenous big businesses should no longer venture into, say, regencies or smaller regions. It is now time that big businesses no longer monopolize everything, to even the lowest level (of businesses).

I strongly disagree with policies such as those applied by Malaysia. We should not use approaches that are racist in nature.

We agree to support whatever regulations the government issues to protect the small, medium-scale enterprises and cooperatives. Because 99 percent of them are definitely indigenous people.

But please, no racist approach. We still have to make use of nonindigenous big businesses in our development.

I really want to see this "indigenous versus nonindigenous" question ended once and for all.

How can we invite foreign investors to enter Indonesia but bar our own people, who happen to be nonindigenous, from endeavors in their own country? This is not fair, not good.

We should use all of the combined abilities of both sides for this nation's economic development. The nonindigenous big businesses should be asked to cooperate with the small and medium entrepreneurs, both indigenous and nonindigenous, so that we can really have economic integration. Because we realize that most of the (public) grievances are about the social gap.

Cooperation such as that built by the Jimbaran Group (its 48 tycoon members have spent Rp 2.1 trillion to support 150,000 small and medium-scale enterprises), should be promoted.

In this way, the social gap can be reduced because we will be united in economic matters. In other fields, such as sports or intellectual undertakings, there is no longer any problem of nonindigenous versus indigenous.

Q: What role should the government play?

A: Provide more opportunities for small and medium enterprises. There should no longer be accusations that results of the development, the fruits, are only to be enjoyed by big business, especially nonindigenous ones. This is not true.

The nonindigenous should help, but mostly the government should manage things in such a way that small businesses are included in big projects.

Q: Do other businesspeople of Chinese descent share your opinion?

A: There are some nonindigenous members who have not understood this fully and we need to educate them so that they are willing to be involved. There is a dissenting voice (among them), but this is a process that we have to go through. This is where the government needs to effect policies which support cooperation between small, medium and big businesses, and between the indigenous and others in the indigenous groups. This will speed up the process of economic integration.

We are running out of time. We have to solve this before AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area). Once foreigners enter, it will be more difficult for us to establish economic integration.

Q: But we cannot dismiss the fact there is still tension and resentment toward people of Chinese descent...

A: Yes, but with cooperation, cultural problems can be resolved because there would be ongoing communication between (the two groups) during business activities.

As for me... I have more indigenous friends than nonindigenous... there is no problem.

The problem, maybe, is with the totok nonindigenous, those born in China. As for those of us who were born and educated here, just like the pribumi, there's no problem. Just like my children who find it easy to associate with their pribumi friends, because they went to the same schools.

If these (approaches) are done, not only will we solve the problems, we will also grow in strength to compete against foreign forces. We won't have to compete among ourselves in our own country. (Otherwise) we would never grow strong enough economically because our businesspeople are not united. This is a challenge for us all.

All economic activities of this nation should be ours together.

Q: But there are some ethnic Chinese who want to keep the differences alive...

A: Yes, there are, frankly, but only a small group. Most in order to develop their own businesses, hoping for excessive government facilities for their own interests ... wanting to have their cake and eat it too.

Q: Maybe we need more breakthroughs to boost the integration...

A: The Jimbaran group has helped build cooperation with 150,000 small-scale traders. If the other big businesses also do the same and cooperate with hundreds of thousands of others (small enterprises) every year, you can imagine the impact... We target five to six million small businesses. The rest are those in the informal sector, (a problem) which we cannot solve. (swe)