As many businessmen in Jakarta are fond of saying, the Chinese word for crisis combines the characters for danger and opportunity. Since the regional economic crisis took hold in 1997, Indonesia has been a prime example of this seeming dichotomy.

Indonesia's dangers remain obvious. Though some of the country’s democratic institutions have made great strides, Indonesia’s coalition administration that often lacks direction. A vocal extremist minority make no secret of its desire to form a non-secular government, a prospect that unsettles investors. Pockets of ethnic strife have undercut Indonesia's tradition of tolerance in many parts of the nation. Weak labor laws have eroded the competitive advantage of the country's vast manpower pool.

Indonesia's opportunities are equally obvious. A massive nation of 17,000 islands, its spans a distance equal from New York to Los Angeles. It has the fourth largest population on Earth, with a middle class larger than many European nations. It is strategically located astride some of the busiest air and sea lanes in the world. And its deposits of natural resources-from gold to natural gas-are among the planet's richest.

Every year, foreign businessmen and investors judge Indonesia's opportunities to be worth the risk. They seek to understand the dangers, to place them in their proper perspective, and to chart mitigating strategies to successfully navigate around them.

Indonesia is unique. Its challenges, too, have nuances not found elsewhere. For new investors, due diligence is of paramount importance. For international companies that have stringent care of duty requirements, care must be given to selecting a security consultant that will help plot the risks and chart solutions. With its combination of world-best practices and depth of Indonesian expertise, make your choice RISK MANAGEMENT ADVISORY.