I’ve been sent
to Jakarta to attend the Restructuring, Insolvency & Governance Conference
2023. It’s my first time in Jakarta. My previous experiences of Indonesia were
confined to Bali, which was back in the days when dad was doing well enough and
I was the age where having parents spend on you was normal.
So, this is my
first “real” experience of Indonesia proper. On an intellectual level, I am
aware that Indonesia is the “big boy” in Southeast Asia. Indonesia is easily
the largest nation in our part of the world both in terms of land mass and
population. In terms of market size, Indonesia is “The Place” to be.
However, whilst
I am aware of the size of Indonesia, especially when compared to the rest of
the region, I suffer from an emotional blinker that many Singaporeans suffer
from when it comes to the rest of Asia. Given that we are by far and away the
most “advanced” place in the region, our view of Indonesia (and everywhere else
in the region) get clouded by a certain smugness. Ask the average Singaporean
what they know of Indonesia and its likely t be “haze,” “maids,” “second wives,”
and “satay.” Given that Singapore is the odd ball in the region where the
Chinese are in the majority, Indonesia is also the place that gets brutal with
the Chinese once every so often.
Our level of
development has been such that a good portion of us, particularly the Professional
class, probably feel more at ease in the West than we do with the rest of the
region. Talk to a given professional in Singapore about “opportunities” in the region
and they’ll probably look at you with a blank.
Its
particularly obvious when you visit airports. Since I have Vietnamese family, I
will say that there is no contest between Changi and the two main Vietnamese
airports of Noi Bai in Hanoi and Tan Soon Nhai in Ho Chi Minh City. Let’s remember
that airports are usually the first-place visitors see and so countries that
want to earn tourist dollars invest in them. That’s not the case in Vietnam.
The system is designed to make you miserable, especially when you’re leaving. In
the case of the Vietnamese airports, there is a reason why you need to arrive
two-hours before your flight. By the time the check in counter, immigration and
security are done with you, you’ll be lucky to get onto your plane.
However, I’ve
argued that whilst Singapore’s airport is easily the most swanky in the region
just like Singapore is the most swanky place, it would be wrong to dismiss the
region as a source of things we enjoy but don’t want to talk about.
My Indonesian
experience actually started as checked in for my flight at the Singapore end.
Indonesia requires you to fill out a customs declaration and you can do it by
scanning a QR code. Once you complete the form, which takes all of five minutes
(which beats any of the American forms), you get issued a QR code which you download
and show to customs on arrival, which is duly scanned. The form actually has a
list of flight numbers coming in from a particular destination:
So, the first point that should be understood is that our neighbours, who whilst less advanced than us in so many ways, are investing in modern technologies and adapting it for situations that suit their needs. As much as we talk about innovation in terms of creating new products or services, we also need to remember that innovation also applies to adaptation and this is something that does take place in third world countries.
The second
point is that developing countries are slowly understanding the need to invest
in infrastructure and the importance of making an impression. This is very
clear when you head to the toilet at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The
toilets are well kept and pleasant. There’s nothing like awful toilets to put off
potential money spending visitors.
So, the lesson
is clear. Our neighbours, which may be less advanced in many ways, are actually
catching up. They are hungry and willing to invest in the things that matter.
So, what can we do in Singapore? I believe that we need to change our
perspective and understand that our prosperity and stability are because of our
region and not in spite of it. It is time for us to be the dynamo for the
region rather than trying to stand apart.
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