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strong>Aug. 27, p18

Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Ferry Mursyidan Baldan has urged foreign residents living in Special Economic Zones (KEK) to buy permanent residences or properties in the area.

Resident foreign investors can bring economic prosperity to the areas in which they live, according to the minister.

'€œWe have held meetings with the coordinating economic minister. It is not impossible to give permanent residences to business people who can invest here,'€ Ferry said, as quoted by kompas.com.

Your comments:

I think the regulation that excludes foreigners from home ownership is both stupid and useless. Among the things that investors cannot bring with them when they repatriate are properties!

Allowing foreign ownership means they have a stake here and will strive to make safe their investments. This will add value to the properties and bring a better livelihood to neighborhood businesses, from small local kiosks to big supermarkets. These foreigners can also impart their law-abiding attitude and sense of right and wrong.

The only negative thing I can think of is the inflation and higher prices these better-paid foreigners bring with them.

The smart ones (and they usually are) will shop outside their zones and so the aforementioned negativity may not even arise.

Our urban populations (Jakarta has approximately. 12 million residents) will overwhelm these foreigners and may not influence locals that much.

My final analysis and conclusion is that, unlike other countries like Singapore where land is scarce, we can and should allow foreigners to buy and own properties.

Pauloh

This government is desperate for foreign money, but hates foreigners at the same time.

Monday: We demand that all foreigners take an Indonesian language test!

Tuesday: Sorry about that. We take it back. Please come and invest in Indonesia. We love expats.

Wednesday: We have deported 6,000 illegal foreigner scum.

Thursday: Please come and buy lovely houses in our dear country. We love expats again now.

Lasem Benny

The government simply cannot be trusted.  Read the local news to really gauge the sentiment toward foreign investors.  This is a desperate and meaningless policy change; before five years have passed, the government will simply change the goal posts again.

Invest in countries that have sound law and order, not a glorified banana republic where the government works on patronage, extortion and embezzlement and there is no credible movement for change.

Joko

Own? More like long-term rent of apartments. In the economic zones maybe now you can own. But the 5M apartment rule is merely a leasehold.

The economic zones rule may just be the same.

Kantisini

It'€™s a zone for the police and hoodlums to get gratuities at a much higher rate than at local complexes. Indonesia doesn'€™t want foreigners living among the people since they might '€œmorally corrupt'€ them. Segregation of expats in special zones is just like a zoo for exotic animals.

They certainly aren'€™t interested in the expatriate population who wish to actually live among the local population.

Quite sad, that Indonesian government officials still have a mentality that is discriminatory, yet desperately seek foreign investors.

Another government example of not encouraging foreign investors or expat home owners, but to exploit, segregate and discriminate, all the while leeching their hard-earned currency.

Willo

Are they serious? Why would any sane foreigner buy a property here in Indonesia? The rules can change overnight. Foreigners have virtually no legal protection.

The legal system is uncertain and corrupt. And to top it off, Indonesia has a stated policy to reduce expatriates, and is basically intrinsically xenophobic.

Giles