THE City of Medan, capital of North Sumatra province, has a strategic advantage: it is located on the Malacca Strait shipping lane. With a population of 2,122,579 (2004 data), the city is gateway to the trading of goods and services, both foreign and domestic. Trade has become the main mover of the local economy, making Medan the third largest city in Indonesia.

Medan is also the center of regional governmental activities. Its huge economy is su