Knowing Bahasa vital for business

Youth & Careers

By JOY NEMO
KNOWING Bahasa Indonesia and the business procedures of Indonesia are vital when it comes to doing business with Indonesians, says Bernard Lahe.
Lahe is from Lido village in West Sepik and went to Indonesia to study the Indonesian way of doing business and the language at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta through the Indonesian Darmasiswa scholarship in 1994.
The scholarship programme is offered to students from countries which have diplomatic relationship with Indonesia.
“Language and business go hand in hand. You may know the procedure and if you don’t know their language, it can become a barrier,” he said.
“Most businesses operating along the border of PNG and Indonesia do not have a business visa and didn’t know the correct procedures of doing business with Indonesians.
“To do business with them, one must have an Indonesian business partner that will facilitate their paper work on the other side while you facilitate his in PNG.”
“Sometimes, I step in as the interpreter in court cases between Indonesian fishermen and National Fisheries Authority in West Sepik for illegal fishing in our waters.”
He also helps locals establish business contacts in Indonesia.