Hostility to Chinese investment is work of a minority, says Indonesia’s finance minister
Sri Mulyani Indrawati hit back at rhetoric from new governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, which some fear may spook Chinese investors
The Indonesian finance minister has hit out at claims of hostility towards Chinese investment in the country, saying it is the work of a “few people” who want to shut the door to outsiders, amid resurgent fears of ethnic tensions in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
“If there is an issue in politics that Indonesia is becoming unfriendly, it is driven by a few people who think Indonesia can just become a homogenous type of people,” Sri Mulyani Indrawati told reporters in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
But “we have a strong, very non-negotiable commitment of diversity. That means we have to respect differences,” she said. “We are not a conflict country. We are not a violent country. The track record of Indonesia in terms of respecting the sanctity of contracts is very, very strong. So I will encourage all parties not to be discouraged, confused or afraid of investing in Indonesia.”
Her comments came following the barrage of criticism that Anies Baswedan, the newly sworn-in governor of Jakarta, has faced for declaring that “pribumis” [native Indonesians] should retake control of the Muslim-majority country from “colonial” forces.
“We ‘pribumi’ people were oppressed and defeated. Now, after independence, it is time for us to be masters in our country,” Baswedan told supporters in his inauguration speech on October 17.
