REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The agreement of strengthening cooperation in trade and investment between UK and Indonesia should be used to attract UK entrepreneurs to invest in Indonesian infrastructure sector, Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) said.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thusrday agreed to strengthen the cooperation in trade and investment sectors in Istana Merdeka. “Many UK companies have invested in Indonesia. But it should be prioritized to invest in infrastructure,” the Chairman of Apindo, Sofjan Wanandi said on Wednesday.
Wanandi exemplified the UK companies investing in Indonesia. “They are interested to invest in electricity, airport, port, and also toll. Yet if we cannot solve land problem, we will lose the momentum,” he said.
After the press conference and an hour close meeting, SBY said that both countries discussed five agenda, trade, investment, education, democracy, and climate change. SBY concluded the meeting was productive and went well. He expected the post-meeting would give the benefit for both countries.
“Though we have some different views, in the end we agreed for the sake of people in the world,” SBY said.
About the investment, SBY said government boosted the national entrepreneurs and state-owned enterprises to expand to UK. SBY hoped they could use the investment opportunity.
On the trade record of both countries, it increased 10 percent on 2011 compared to 2010. UK investment in Indonesia is on the big five.
In 2011, UK investment to Indonesia is in the amount of 419 million USD or far below the investment from other European countries, such as Netherlands in 1.35 billion USD, according to the data in Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
Cameron said his country saw Indonesia as strategic partner. Indonesia play an important role in Southeast Asia and global, especially in economy. He added, Indonesia which has larger Muslim population could impose good democracy. “Every country should ask on how to cooperate with Indonesia,” Cameron said.
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