President says no need for investors to worry about security

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono guaranteed security during the general elections this year, and assured investors not to worry about their security.

"Indonesia will be able to maintain security, so that it is not necessary for investors to be afraid of anything. No need for them to remain in a wait-and-see position or procrastinate their investment," the head of state said at the Jakarta Stock Exchange building here on Monday.

Yudhoyono made the remarks in a dialogue with market shareholders after officially opening the first trading session at the bourse in 2009.

According to the president, investors during a general elections normally maintained a wait-and-see stance before deciding on an investment.

"We had a direct election in 2004 and since then over 200 provincial and district leaders` election had been implemented. Meanwhile, we have also conducted direct democracy in many foreign countries," he said, adding that therefore, the government along with the general elections commission (KPU), the general election supervisory agency, the constitutional court, regional KPUs, and the police should carry out their tasks well.

In the current situation, the president believed that Indonesia would be able to manage and control the country`s politics and security during the general elections.

"There will be some clashes, friction and difficult campaigns. These incidents often happened in advanced countries and in the developing countries," he said.

The president said that general election should not be seen as a tense period or a burden to the community, but placed in an appropriate position.

On the occasion, the president also asked domestic investors to concentrate more on efforts to improve market capitalization in share trading at the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI), predicted to be able to support the BEI.