MAYBE she imagines Batam to be like Shenzhen in China. Two decades ago, Batam was a poor fishing village with a per capita income of US$79.8, but today it’s soaring with an income of US$3,000—almost three times that of Indonesia.

Shenzhen in China, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Chennai in India—they have all become magically transformed after becoming free trade zones, to be sure with their respective modifications.

Mari Elka Pa