JAKARTA POISED TO BE GATEWAY FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS TO SOUTHEAST ASIA by Fardah

Jakarta, Jan 21, 2018 (Antara) - Jakarta metropolitan city is poised to be a gateway for foreign investors interested in doing business not only to Indonesia but also to Southeast Asian region.    
    The ambitious plan for Indonesia's capital city was revealed by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, while speaking at the First Saudi Arabian Investor Forum (SAIF) for Real Estate, which was held in Jakarta recently and participated in by around 200 Saudi investors, Indonesian businessmen, and regulators.

        "We welcome this meeting and laud that it is held in Jakarta as an entry gate to Indonesia. I informed them that Jakarta is not only for Indonesia but also for Southeast Asia," the governor told the press.

         Baswedan remarked that Jakarta is ready to serve as an entry point for Saudi Arabia's investment in Southeast Asia and to provide facilities to Saudi investors.

         The Jakarta administration will coordinate closely with the Investment Coordinating Board in developing Jakarta as an entry gate for investment in Southeast Asian countries and in providing facilities to potential investors, he remarked.

         Jakarta hopes to be able to create more job opportunities for its citizens by facilitating foreign investors.  
   Habab Alhanaya, chairman of Association of Saudi Arab Investors in Indonesia, stated that Saudi investors should take advantage of the investment potentials in Indonesia.

         "God willing, in the future, we will expand business segmentation not only in real estate but also in tourism and other sectors," he asserted.

         Deputy Governor Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno informed the media that some investors from Saudi Arabia have expressed their interest to invest in housing projects in Indonesia, especially affordable housing, which is in much demand in Jakarta.

         The Jakarta Provincial Administration tries to facilitate property development within the concept of Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

         "There is no longer a need to use the MoU; if there is an interest to invest, we will provide any information needed," the vice governor pointed out.

         The expectation of total investment from Saudi Arabia for five years is Rp1 thousand trillion (about US$80 billion). This year, the investment is expected to be Rp100 trillion ($8 billion), which would open 200 thousand jobs, according to Uno.

          The Arab investors who participated in the forum have prepared an investment of $50-300 million. 
     "Jakarta Investment Center will be opened shortly, and it will manage Public Private Partnership," Uno stated.

          Uno believes the provincial administration will create 50 thousand to 60 thousand new jobs in the property sector.

           He welcomed the initiative taken by Real Estate Indonesia (REI) to put forth recommendations for preparing the Jakarta housing development blueprint.

         In addition to real estate business, the forum also discussed Saudi investors' interest in tourism industry, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure.

         Several investors expressed interest to invest in the tourism industry in Jakarta, particularly in Seribu, or the One Thousand Islands District.   
    Seribu Islands District is of the five districts of Jakarta, which includes the municipalities of Central Jakarta, West Jakarta, South Jakarta, North Jakarta, and East Jakarta.

          According to Uno, Saudi investors are interested in developing a world-class maritime tourism resort on one of the islands locates on the Bay of Jakarta.

         Meanwhile, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi has offered the Lombok International Airport development and Mandalika Tourism projects to Saudi investors.

        The minister stated that the cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia has been long established, which is shown by the ever-crowded hajj and umrah pilgrimage flights. This relationship creates good investment climate in Indonesia.

         "This good relationship allows our brothers from Saudi Arabia to invest, have a vacation, and enjoy their stay in Indonesia," he noted.

            The minister added that he had been in talks with the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Indonesia, who has expressed interest in Mandalika's tourism project in Lombok.

         "The presence of Arab investors and the building of aviation connectivity will increase the number of tourists from Saudi Arabia. In particular, we have a concept for Arab investors in Lombok and Mandalika," he remarked.

         The investment potential in Lombok and Mandalika International Airport will be valued at Rp5-10 trillion (about $375-750 million).

          The Mandalika Special Economic Zone (KEK Mandalika), located in West Nusa Tenggara, began operations after being launched by President Joko Widodo on Oct 20, 2017.

         Spread over a total area of 1,250 hectares, the special zone is managed by Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and offers natural beauty and other attractions.

         KEK Mandalika is projected to have two thousand hotel rooms, world-class racing circuits, convention centers, and seven hotels by 2019. ***3***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 20-01-2018