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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who ends his second term in October 2014, said that Indonesia needed a leader with a strong commitment to improving the investment climate.

Speaking to around 1,000 employers, foreign businesspeople and union members at the opening of the Indonesian Employers Association’s (Apindo) national congress on Monday, Yudhoyono said that the country’s next president should concentrate on the role of investment in economic growth.

Yudhoyono’s statement was an apparent swipe at Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party chief patron Prabowo Subianto, who is seen as the strongest contender in 2014.

Prabowo campaigns for a pro-poor economic development program to eradicate poverty.

Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party (PD) has yet to pick a candidate, while the Golkar Party has decided to nominate business tycoon Abrurizal Bakrie, well known as a supporter of generating growth through domestic and foreign investment.

In his speech, Yudhoyono also applauded the role of business in building the country’s economic resilience, stating that his government would continue to support market-friendly programs.

The President warned that despite the good macroeconomic performance, a number of problems, including industrial relations and labor unrest, could undermine the economy.

Yudhoyono has ordered all regional heads and security authorities to maintain the security situation.

“Let us all take an active role in maintaining the political, social and security conditions. Anarchy, vigilantism, factory lock-outs and the blockading of vital assets can no longer be tolerated. Regional heads and security authorities have to take responsibility,” Yudhoyono urged.

Many employers in garments, textiles and footwear have closed down their companies and laid off workers. Others plan relocation to low-wage regions after requests for exemption from the minimum wage increase was turned down.

Only 49 of more than 900 companies requesting exclusion were accepted.

Chairman of Apindo Sofjan Wanandi said that the country’s next president should have sound economic and labor policies plan given that violent strikes had started to get out of hand.

“Our next leader who will be nominated by political parties, must have understanding about the important role of the economy in sustaining the state and the government, and therefore, he or she has to take measures to eradicate all obstacles to economic growth, the investment climate and the generation of jobs,” he said.

Later in the Apindo meeting, Coordinating for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto called on employers and labor unions to continue promoting dialogue to settle their industrial disputes.

Djoko also said that security authorities would no longer tolerate violent strikes and rallies.