@DrDez

Sir, can you elaborate more ?

Do you mean the company itself have the ability to pay more, but they're afraid the worker will ask for more (mob out)?

Actually, I think their(investor) worries are reasonable. Seems it's already a norm, when demand rejected, people use any means necessary to force their demand.

Doesn't matter if their means left many people stranded with no access to Toll Road and 30KM traffic jams.

Well..seeing how the police so clueless with so called "vigilante in white", I can understand if people think to mob out at every opportunity. I mean, if the so called vigilante can get away while forcing their demand, so can we, right ?

I would like to revise my first post. After talking to a group based in Singapore who are looking to invest in Tangerang yesterday, this was actually very high on the agenda. Not so much the actual wage claim but the growing tendency to 'mob out' at every opportunity.

Jokoku

I think capitalism / socialism / Islamism or what ever ism you care to think up is in one form or another 'paid slavery' and that goes for almost if not all nations on the earth.

Poor Asian Countries... Now there's a thing. For about a decade we have heard so much about the tiger and we ourselves gloat over a lower debt ratio or growth in GDP etc etc but still take huge aid and have massive poverty.. Why is it so?

Foxxcon... Tragic it seems. A Chinese Company synonymous with quality and big brands abusing its local workforce for profit. However Take a look about you Joko there are plenty of similar examples within eyeshot.

only in west java or indonesia.? ask 300person who plan to suicide in foxxcomm china. wherever you are capitalizm is a modern slavery. especialy in poor asian country.

Sir

I am in 100% agreement. I would add to your list: Education, Legal uncertainty, infrastructure, the 'failing leadership' and the culture of administrative lies** I may write a piece on that

Regarding the risk of wage rates. Its not so much the overseas investors who worry but the local employers

A few years ago we had a visit from half a dozen local businessmen who suggested in a thuggish way that our T&C was causing unrest at their plants. I gave them a tour and explained that our belief was that well cared for employees might cost you more today but over a long term the reward in return was all the things they witnessed. Reduced absenteeism, staff turnover, better performance, healthier employees etc etc. The response was they could not afford to do it and we were driving wage rates up locally. Their 7 series BMW's and Mercs and one Landcruiser looked pretty nice next to my Kijang. Their Armani suits looked great v my Group Polo Shirt.. etc -