Jakarta. The Indonesian business community is adopting a cautious stance, postponing crucial decisions and expansions in anticipation of the February 14 presidential election, according to Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, the Chairwoman of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo).

In an interview with B-Universe Media Holdings on Sunday, Shinta said that for businesses, a smooth transition of power and a legitimate election outcome hold more significance than speculation about the next president.

"Business communities and potential investors take a more cautious approach and tend to wait and see before making expansions due to the elections," Shinta said.

The upcoming presidential election features three contenders -- Anies Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto, and Ganjar Pranowo. In the event that no candidate secures an outright win next month, the election may go to a runoff.

However, Shinta stressed that the number of polls required is not the primary concern for business communities. "What matters is the quality of our elections," she said. "Business communities are more interested in the assurance of smooth political events and the coherence and continuation of existing economic policies."

Shinta added that any chaos or unrest during the power succession would be detrimental to the business climate. "We can’t afford riots, election fraud, or anything that will delegitimize the outcome of the election and bring protracted problems," she added.

Additionally, businesses are eager to understand the priorities and key agenda of the new leader and their cabinet, Shinta noted.

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