Unlocking the Potential of Batam, Bintan, and Karimun: Strategic Collaboration between Indonesia and Singapore in the Zero Emission Era

Jakarta, INTI - The bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the 2nd Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting and Related Events in Jakarta on Wednesday (21/08) brought together Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, and Singapore's Minister for Manpower, Tan See Leng. This meeting not only served as a platform to strengthen bilateral relations but also to explore strategic collaboration in the Batam, Bintan, and Karimun (BBK) regions.

During the meeting, Minister Airlangga expressed Indonesia's desire to focus more on the development of the BBK region, which is considered to have immense potential in various sectors, particularly in energy and submarine cable infrastructure. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with Singapore in harnessing the potential of the BBK region to support the economic growth of both countries.

"The BBK region has tremendous potential in the energy sector and submarine cables. We hope that Singapore can continue to be our key partner in developing this potential, so it can deliver maximum benefits to both countries," said Minister Airlangga.

Minister Airlangga also highlighted the importance of human resources (HR) development in the technology sector, particularly in the semiconductor industry. He invited Singapore to support Indonesia in creating a strong semiconductor ecosystem, which will serve as the foundation for the growth of the technology industry in Indonesia.

During the meeting, the two Ministers also discussed the implementation of the Tech Program, which provides young technology professionals from Indonesia and Singapore with the opportunity to gain work experience for one year in each other's technology industries. This program is expected to strengthen bilateral collaboration in tech HR development, which will have a positive impact on the growth of the technology industry in the future.

Singapore, as one of the largest investors in Indonesia, has invested over USD 15 billion in 2023, accounting for around 30% of all foreign investment. This investment demonstrates Singapore's commitment to continue supporting Indonesia's economic growth through various sectors, including technology, trade, and energy.

Additionally, Minister Airlangga and Minister Tan discussed other strategic issues such as the 2nd Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting and Related Events, the Indonesia-Singapore Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups, and Indonesia's accession plan to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). They also discussed Indonesia's participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CP-TPP), which is expected to open new opportunities for Indonesia in the global market.

On this occasion, Minister Airlangga also expressed his hope that the cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore in various fields, particularly in the development of the BBK region, can continue to be enhanced. He believes that with strong collaboration, both countries can leverage the potential of the BBK region to drive sustainable and environmentally-friendly economic growth.

This bilateral meeting reflects the commitment of both countries to continue exploring strategic collaboration in the zero-emission era, while also promoting the development of the BBK region as one of the key economic growth centers in Indonesia. With Singapore's support, the BBK region is expected to become an economic engine that delivers significant benefits to both countries.