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By APD writer Maverick
**JAKARTA, March 21 (APD) ** — Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and her Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrisnan jointly inaugurated the operation of Indonesia-Singapore initiated digital industry zone in Indonesia’s Batam, aimed at anticipating the expanding digital economy-and related business in the future.
Development of the digital industry zone in Indonesia’s Batam, called Nongsa Digital Park (NDP), was resulted from agreements between leaders of Indonesia and Singapore, President Joko Widodo and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that were made during President Widodo’s visit to Singapore in September last year.
In her remarks to inaugurate the facility, Retno said that NDP has manifested expectations of President Widodo and Premier Loong to make Batam the digital bridge for the two countries in addressing the much-anticipated significant growth of digital economic cooperation between the two countries.
“This facility also perfectly reflects a development concept that actively involves private sector, scholars and governments, particularly in anticipating the expansion of digital economy,” she said in NDP premises on Tuesday.
The 166 hectare NDP facility was projected of capable to employ around 10,000 people when its
operation in its full swing.
NDP Director Mike Wiluan said that a ferry pier would also be built in the facility to ease transport to Singapore, which only 30 minutes away from Singapore.
“This facility is expected to attract investors with total potential investments of 500 million U.S. Dollars,” he added.
In the initial period some 1,500 ones have worked in several digital startups operating in the facility that provides high-speed fiber optic broad band telecommunication technology and data server with huge capacity.
Given to its strategic location, Batam, Indonesia’s closest area to Singapore, hosts several industrial zones serving domestic and international investors.
Indonesian government has projected Batam to become an excellence center that hosts modern investments, tourism and related business activities.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
