The team leading Prasasti includes (from left) research director Gundy Cahyadi, executive director Nila Marita, board of advisers member Burhanuddin Abdullah, board of trustees member Jimly Asshiddiqie, and policy and programme director Piter Abdullah. - S/ WAHYUDI SOERIAATMADJA
JAKARTA: Figures known to be close advisers to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto have established the Prasasti Center for Policy Studies (Prasasti), which has been pitched as an independent think-tank to help businesses – including foreign investors – navigate the country’s complex bureaucracy.
But there is some unease over its promised role to bridge the gap between the government and the private sector, given the close ties its founders have to the government and the possible conflicts of interest that could arise. There are also concerns that Prasasti, which says it will also advise the government, could end up a quasi think-tank that functions more as a lobby group.
