Dozens of participating businesspeople used the opportunity to express their frustrations, including the lengthy processes they experienced in obtaining permits, complicated regulations and limited information provided at government offices.

The meeting was also attended by Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Customs and Excise director Heru Pambudi, and Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner Saut Situmorang .

Bobby Nurwanto, an importer of medical equipment, for example, said officials at the front desks could not provide him with a satisfactory explanation when obtaining business permits.

“We only received limited information from the front desks when we filed an application for my import permit,” he said at the meeting.

The meeting showed that similar occurrences were a common experience among many businesspeople.

In her response, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government would establish a small team, whose members would consist of representatives of the Industry Ministry, the Trade Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry, the Customs and Excise office and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency to follow up on the complaints.

“People who want to comply with the regulations have asked us to have a simpler and more transparent [system]. I think that is a fair request. The government will try to improve the work of the bureaucracy to that they can provide better services,” said Sri Mulyani. (mrc/bbn)

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