Stop trying to find clarity in a market that does well when things are unclear. The “gray areas” that Indonesia is known for aren’t a problem; they’re a part of the country.
Learn about the framework that turns confusion into your biggest strategic advantage, even though it doesn’t seem like it.
There are only two kinds of things in the world: good and bad, legal and illegal, clear and unclear.
Investors who are used to strict rule-of-law environments often think that Indonesia’s business environment is a problem because it doesn’t follow this norm.
They complain about the “murky waters” and want things to be clear, predictable, and clean for business.
Here’s the radical truth:
Indonesia’s murkiness isn’t a problem that needs to be fixed; it’s an opportunity to take advantage of.
When the water is clear, you can see every fish, every chance, and the competition is fierce. Profits are squeezed, innovation is stifled by fast copying, and real competitive advantage is short-lived.
Now picture “fishing in murky waters.” It’s scary for people who don’t know what it is. You can’t see the bottom, so you don’t know what’s there, and every step feels like a risk.
But for the master angler, it’s a place of unmatched opportunity. The murkiness that keeps most people away keeps the best catches safe.
A seasoned guide who has been sailing these waters for almost 30 years, knows that Indonesia isn’t about getting rid of the “gray.” It’s about getting good at it.
It is important to understand that the “high cost economy,” the CCCN (Commission, Collusion, Corruption, Nepotism), and the bureaucratic dance are not problems, but filters.
They get rid of people who are afraid of taking risks, who think in a traditional way, or who are weak of heart.
The only people left are the truly practical ones, the “meritocratic” few who know that business is about getting results, not following romantic ideals.
You get an unbeatable advantage when you make the hard things easy and the expensive things cheap, not by fighting the system but by understanding how it works.
This isn’t a recommendation for illegal behavior; it’s a way to deal with reality and do well in it.
The “unmanageable” isn’t a wall; it’s a secret handshake.
And for those who know the handshake, the impossible becomes possible and the hidden treasure becomes easy to find.
Are you ready to change how you see order and chaos?
Taking the usual route in Indonesia will give you the usual headaches. The “murky blue” path leads to huge profits.
Johanes Lim, PhD, CPC, CHt (林泰義)
Financial Doctor and Turnaround Specialist for Family Businesses and The BOD Forum Across ASEAN
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