TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo clarified his statement he made about the small amount of investment that Saudi Arabia made in Indonesia compared to the amount the country made in China. According to Jokowi, he made the statement in a relaxed forum.

He added that since it was relaxed forum, his statement was part of the breaking of the ice.

"I made the statement in a relaxed situation," Jokowi said in Jakarta on Saturday (15/4).

Jokowi also said the small amount of investment made in Indonesia must serve as basis for evaluation. According to him, if Indonesia’s ease of doing business index improves it will attract more investors to come and make investment.

Jokowi previously said he was disappointed to learn that Saudi Arabia had invested US$65 billion in China, almost 10 times the Rp 89 trillion ($6.71 billion) pledged to Indonesia, despite the “special treatment.”

“I’m surprised that when the king came to China, he signed [contracts of over] Rp 870 trillion [$65 billion],” Jokowi said during his visit to the Buntet Islamic boarding school in Cirebon, West Java.

“I even held an umbrella for the king [during heavy downpour as the king arrived at the Bogor Palace], but we got a smaller amount. I’m a little bit disappointed, just a little,” he added.

ADITYA BUDIMAN