Indonesia badly in need of more entrepreneurs

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesia is badly in need of more entrepreneurs as the number here is smaller compared to other countries in the region, such as Thailand and Malaysia. According to World Bank survey in 2008, the share of entrepreneurs here is only 1.5 percent of the population. Meanwhile, Malaysia has reached 4 percent, Thailand 4.1 percent, and Singapore is far beyond others, with 7.2 percent of population.

"We need entrepreneur is needed in every way. We need champion leaders who can be agents of change," Vice President Boediono said on Monday in Global Entrepreneurship Week Indonesia.

The cause of the lower number is the lack of business units. The creation of new business units is hampered by six factors, such as law, economic stability, infrastructure, and regulation.

Banking sector has also affected the process of establishing new business. The availability of financial service, he said, impacted the development of entrepreneurship. 

However, a property tycoon Ciputra said the lack of entrepreneur was caused by a long colonialism. Indonesia is considered as a new nation. "Ten years ago, (the number) is only 0.12 percent. Now 1.5 percent. It is a big leap," he said.