Jakarta, Oct. 17 -- President Prabowo Subianto's policy allowing foreign nationals to lead Indonesia's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is not intended to sideline local professionals, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said on Friday.

Hadi explained that Indonesia must remain open to global talent and should not make citizenship an issue when specific expertise is needed.

"If Indonesian citizens are capable, of course we will support them. But if, for now, we need skills and competencies from someone who happens to be a foreign national, then why not?" he said after a ministerial meeting in Jakarta.

He said the policy aims to make SOE management systems more adaptive to international standards, comparing it to strategies used in ...