Jakarta-wapresri.go.id Vice President Jusuf Kalla received the visit of Lord Charles Powell at the Office of the Vice President on Jalan Merdeka Utara, Jakarta on Wednesday (Feb. 2).

In the meeting, Lord Powell, who is a member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom and used to be an advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and John Major, appreciated the economic growth in Indonesia which is relatively good compared to other countries in the region amids the uncertain world economy. This condition, according to him, is necessary for foreign investment to Indonesia, including the UK.

“UK will remain an investor in various sectors in Indonesia,” said Powell who is now the Director of the Jardine Matheson Group, the major shareholder of PT Astra International Tbk.

Based on the data of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), the UK is one of the main partners of investment for Indonesia. Throughout the years 2010-2015, the realization of British investment in Indonesia had reached USD 4.8 billion and the UK was ranked as the eighth largest investor in the country.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla in response said that Indonesia’s economic posture, among others, is supported with economic and political conditions in the country which are relatively stable amid the global economic conditions that are unpredictable, especially after Donald Trump was elected as the US President.

“We’re all groping. No one in this world know what Trump is going to do,” said the Vice President.

However, the Vice President assured that the impact of US policy will not necessarily affect the economy of Indonesia.

In addition to discussing economic and investment conditions, Lord Powell also felt happy with Indonesia’s success in dealing with the issue of terrorism and radicalism. Statistically, he said, the ratio of terrorist incidents compared to the total population of Indonesia is very small.

In this regard, the Vice President reminded about the importance of preventing the existence of a failed state that would give rise to radicalism.

“A state must be able to provide jobs and stability so it would not trigger the seeds of radicalism to grow,” he affirmed.

Concluding the meeting, Lord Powell is looking forward to the visit the Vice President to the UK which is planned to be conducted in May 2017.

Also attending the meeting were Chargé d’Affaires of the UK Embassy Juliet Maric, President Director of Jardine Matheson in Indonesia Jonathan Chang, Head of the Secretariat of the Vice President Mohamad Oemar, Deputy to the Vice President for Economic Policy, Infrastructure and Maritime Support Tirta Hidayat, and the members of the Expert Team for the Vice President Sofjan Wanandi and Mohamad Ikhsan.

http://www.wapresri.go.id/menerima-lord-charles-powell/