BL: Business Lounge Journal
CK: Casper Klynge
BL: How do you perceive Indonesia; what impresses you, and what needs to be improved? Do you like certain things about Indonesia, maybe the food, art, or people?
CK: For two and half years and this so much we’ll have been here for 3 years. And those 3 years has gone incredibly faster and I enjoy it every moment of it. And those people don’t believe me when I say even loved living in Jakarta and I think Jakarta has a lot more to offer than it’s real potential. But now it’s a country in development. And it’s a country where it’s nation in mean increasing we recognize that Indonesia is and will become both of region but also a global player and you already member of G20 and you are significant economy but also it’s a country with the significant population size. So one of the things I’m enjoying with working here is trying to see Indonesia move along and develop a lot those in the past. And I think it’s quite impressive that you have demonstrated here the ability to console it democracy in a very short time spent. I think we have to be alliance that’s it’s not really perhaps more than less than 20 years ago with 1998 with the fall of dictatorship and additional time spent, Indonesia population is completely embraced democracy and every Indonesia I meet I prepare to fight and protect democracy and very directly. So I think that’s an incredibly positive to sudden access. I think that challenges here. We spoke a little bit about waste before it needs it’s another challenge, but I think also open up Indonesia to more international relations both politically but certainly also from the business point of view. Some of the chalenges that still remains and I think the reform processes initiative by President Jokowi and his team is going to hopefully make a real difference in this regards. So I’m enjoying every moment living here and again the opportunity to travel into–, I haven’t been to all 7 islands yet. And I’m not sure I will. But I manage to go away from Banda Aceh to Jayapura and to big places and we have some favorite spot where we love to travel.
BL: Dare to share some?
CK: No, absolutely. I’m very happy to, I mean, perhaps the place we’re going back to most time is Flores and then Komodo National Park which I think it’s out of this world. Really very fantastic place. You have to go there. I think also–.
It’s an amazing place. And also places like Manado and North Sulawesi is fantastic. Lombok as well. Places in Sumatera. We support with our development program rainforest in the southern part of Sumatera, Hutan Harapan. And I’m fortunate and lucky enough to going and visit that place once in a while. And you know it’s a difficult situation because it is threatening. This rainforest which is 20% of remaining low land rainforest in Sumatera. But to wake up during the morning see the bird life, see the valid adversity and live in the middle of rainforest I think is an amazing experience and something that everybody should be able to experience once in a while.
And then again you know the obvious one the sate is always very nice. And also choice that you keep on getting back to. And, you know, every time I’ve gone to for example Makassar and Sulawesi we have fantastic seafood. One thing I have to little bit careful with is of course the amount of chili in that seafood and especially in Makassar I have wonderful fishes, but I had to combine it with one of 2 liters of water to cope with the string of those fishes.
BL: Did you enjoy any art or performance art or other form of cultures?
CK: Yeah, no, absolutely, I mean we also fortune enough to have a small cultural program now at the embassy. What we support for example, you know, Pak Eko who used to dance with Madonna. And he’s put together small team of the dancer from the Maluku from Halmahera. And they made a performance in Jakarta which I thought was absolutely amazing. And also trying to, you know, local painter, local artist. And of course some of the other dances the more traditional dance. You know, I’m a shocker for the term of dance from Aceh. I forgotten the name, you know, where they line up and move their heads and sing with each other–.
Business Lounge Journal/VMN/BL