Jakarta, April 29 -- Indonesia's Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has said that the designation of national vital objects in the industrial sector (OVNI) could help prevent the extortion of companies.

"In fact, we have designated industrial companies as national vital objects, considering their assets as strategic," Kartasasmita informed here on Tuesday.

The problem of extortion, which has recently affected several industrial companies in Indonesia, has garnered public attention.

With the designation of industrial companies as national vital objects, the Industry Ministry can collaborate with the police to protect their production sites.

Earlier, Deputy Chairperson of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Eddy Soepar...