President Jokowi to Approach Middle Eastern Countries
President Jokowi delivers his remarks during a meeting with ulemas and community leaders of Karawang Regency, at Asshiddiqiyah Islamic Boarding School, Karawang Regency, West Java, Wednesday (6/6). (Photo by: Jay/Public Relations).
In an effort to attract investors from Middle Eastern countries which are known for their wealth, President Joko Jokowi Widodo ordered related ministers to make a visit to those countries every three months.
Why they are investing their money in Europe, America, or China? Why not in our country? Because we never make a visit to those countries and convey our needs, President Jokowi said during a meeting with ulemas and community leaders of Karawang Regency, at Asshiddiqiyah Islamic Boarding School, Karawang Regency, West Java, Wednesday (6/6).
The President got the answer after he met King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Prince of United Arab Emirates Sheikh Muhammad while visiting the two countries in 2015.
I asked King Salman, why Saudi Arabia does not make an investment in Indonesia? I also asked the same question when I met Sheikh Tamim of Qatar. Its because we, Indonesia, never visits their countries, the President quoted the response of the two leaders of the Middle East.
Based on that answer, President Jokowi ordered related ministers to make a visit to Middle Eastern countries every three months and convey our needs then offer them to invest in our country as well as tell them the benefits of the cooperation.
We need to continue to build our relationship with these countries and we want them to make investments in Indonesia, Jokowi said.
The President added that Saudi Arabia has made an investment at an oil refinery in Cilacap, Central Java. In the near future, Oman will make an investment in a project in Bontang, East Kalimantan. In addition to that, Indonesia to cooperate with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Kuala Tanjung port project and Indonesias rate of profit will be bigger than its counterpart. These are major projects currently carried out by this country.
President Jokowi expressed his hope that Indonesia will become the world’s fourth largest economy by 2045. He also said that to get there, we will experience many obstacles and trials. However, if our unity, political stability and security are good, what has been predicted may come true. (FID/JAY/ES) (GWH/MMB/Naster)
