Friday, 3 July 1998.

Jakarta, Kompas Online.
National entrepreneurs associated in the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) urged President BJ Habibie through Kadin's General Chairman, Aburizal Bakrie to give a guarantee of safety so that the Indonesian entrepreneurs who are still abroad will return to the fatherland. Besides that the entrepreneurs also stressed that legal actions should be taken against the rioters of the last middle of May.

Answering reporters after meeting with Habibie at Bina Graha, Thursday (2/7) afternoon, Aburizal stated that the entrepreneurs who still are abroad have the greatest influence and most important role in the distribution network, including distribution of the nine basic commodities.

Meanwhile, the General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama's Central Board (PB NU) KH Abdurrahman Wahid at his home in Ciganjur, on the same day, brought forward that Habibie's administration could not yet show sincerity in the effort of returning the entrepreneurs of Chinese descent from abroad. Gus Dur - Abdurrahman Wahid's nickname also disclosed that there still were anti Chinese elements in the Development Reformation Cabinet.

Gus Dur was however not willing to mention the anti Chinese elements in the Cabinet. He only said that those elements did not like that those entrepreneurs of foreign descent returned to Indonesia. "Whereas they are holding the money, which is much needed for the distribution of the required commodities at this time," said Gus Dur.

The Chairman of the Indonesian Assimilation Party (Parpindo), HM Jusuf Hamka recently said that about 100,000 entrepreneurs of Chinese descent are still abroad after the riots occurred on last May.

Meanwhile, the discussion of various matters concerning steps to restore economy took place between the Minister Coordinator for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita, sided by 12 ministers in the field of economy, finance and industry and the BI Governor Syahril Sabirin and the Head of the Logistics Agency Beddu Amang with the leadership of the House of Representatives at the Room of Commission VIII of the House, Thursday ()2/7) evening. The consultation meeting was closed for reporters and there was no conclusion.

Present leaders of the House were the Vice-Chairman Abdul Gafur (Golkar Faction), Mrs Fatimah Achmad (PDI Faction), Hari Sabarno (ABRI Faction), Ismael Hassan Metareum (PP Faction). The meeting was led by Abdul Gafur. Besides that the faction leaders and the leaders of Commission III, IV. V and VIII were also present.

Distribution stagnates

Aburizal brought forward that the exodus of the distributors made that the distribution system stagnated. "But this doesn't mean that the national distribution system can only work with those persons, but time is needed to replace them," he said.

Asked how much time was needed to replace the role of those who ran away, Aburizal said, "With extraordinary experts, at least six months are needed to operate the distribution again.

He didn't know how many of those Indonesian entrepreneurs were abroad, and didn't know how much money they brought with them. About the time needed to restore the distribution system, he comparesd it with a person who wanted a press company. Isn't therefore needed more than six months, because it concerns knowledge of the market, the position, where to sell, who are the buyers, etc," he said.

Ical, Aburizal's nickname, met with Habibie after a meeting with Kadin entrepreneurs in the afternoon. The meeting also issued an appeal that the Indonesian entrepreneurs of Chinese descent who were still abroad, would return to Indonesia with their money. He also said that Tuesday (7/7) about 100 entrepreneurs who participated in yesterdays meeting would be received by President Habibie.

The call that the Government should immediately unravel to the core and sentence the rioters of May, was earlier already urged by some parties. The Communication Body for Full and Total Comprehension of the Nation's Unity (Bakom PKB) in its press conference at the beginning of June urged the government to investigate the perpetrators of the riots and make a statement on that incident.

The administration's version stated that the loss of the riots was Rp 2.5 trillion. This amount ws related with the burning and damaging of 13 markets, 2,497 shops combined as dwelling places, 40 malls/plazas, 1,604 shops, 45 repairshops, two district offices, 11 Police Sections, 383 private offices, 65 banks, 24 restaurants, 12 hotels, nine gasoline stations, eight city busses/metrominis, and 1,119 cars and motorbikes.(*)