http://www.tempointeraktif.com/hg/ekbis/2007/07/26/brk,20070726-104410,uk.html
Lee Kuan Yew: Indonesias Economic Prospects
Good
Thursday, 26 July, 2007
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Singapores Senior Minister, Lee Kuan
Yew, has predicted that Indonesias economic prospects in the next
two years will be good.
Indonesias government, said Lee, will be able to meet the economic
growth target of seven percent in 2007 and nine percent in
2008.
Im optimistic that Indonesia can reach the targets as it has good
economic management, said Lee after meeting Vice President Jusuf
Kalla yesterday (25/7).
The meeting in the vice presidents office lasted from 11.30am to
1pm WIB (Indonesian Western Time).
According to the former prime minister of Singapore, within the
next five years or during the next administration period, Indonesia
will be able to catch up with Thailand.
Thus, manpower provisions must be arranged in order to be able to
attract more investment. In order to attract investors, according
to Lee, legal certainty is required.
Consistency in
implementing regulations is very important so that investors remain
comfortable in Indonesia.
Investors predict their investment not only for short-term, but up
until five to ten years to come, he said.
Foreign investors, said Lee, tend to refer to United States and
Japan.
If American and Japanese investors still stay in a country and the
number even increases, there is a possibility that other investors
will be interested in investing in that country.
Kalla accepted Lees input.
He said he considered that from the economic progress Indonesia has
reached, relations with other countries were important for
supporting economic growth.
Were optimistic that economic growth can be reached if regional
economies were also maintained with strong cooperation, he
said.
According to Kalla, neither of them discussed the agreement of
defense cooperation (DCA) between Indonesia and Singapore.
Lee said his visit was not related to the defense agreement, which
is still being debated by Indonesian politicians.
As a country, Singapore cooperates with Indonesian government, not
with political parties, he said.
ANTON APRIANTO[/b]
