Riau Islands Development Must be Integrated, President Jokowi Says

Governor of Riau Islands Nurdin Basirun meets President Jokowi in a limited meeting on Thursday (30/3), at the Presidential Office, Jakarta

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said that according to the data he has received, the economic growth in Riau Islands Province in 2016 reached 5.03 percent, and mostly are contributed by processing industry, mining, construction, and trade sectors.

“That means the economy in Riau Islands is transformed into processing industry. Moreover, processing industry sector does not only move the economy but also employs a large number of workers,” President Jokowi said in a limited meeting on the Evaluation on Implementation of  National Strategic Projects and Priority Programs in Riau Islands Province and the Acceleration of Development in Batam on Thursday (30/3), at the Presidential Office, Jakarta.

The President reminded all that the development of processing industry sector must become our common concern because when there are fluctuations in that sector, it will affect the unemployment rate.

President Jokowi also mentioned open unemployment rate in Riau Islands Province which reaches 7.69 percent. However, the President believes that staying focused at work will help the economy to move faster and open more work opportunities.

“We must concentrate on developing every big island in Riau Islands, such as Anambas, Natuna, Lingga, Karimun, Bintan, Batam, and Tanjungpinang Islands into new industrial centers and tourist destination spots in accordance with the potential of the regions,” the President added.

President Jokowi also said that Natuna Island can be developed into industrial centers for marine and fisheries as well as gas industry. The other big island such as Karimun Island also can be developed into an industrial center for manufacture.

However, the President reminded all to conduct the development integratedly from upstream to downstream.

Therefore, according to the President, the work of the Governor, Mayor, and Batam Industrial Development Authority (BP Batam) must be integrated, so that services to the investors can be accelerated.

“It indeed must be followed up with a more specific meeting and also decision so we can provide services that the investors want,” the President added.

To make Batam more competence, President Jokowi emphasized that the area needs to be managed in a more professional manner so that the expectation to develop Batam into an economic zone, particularly for industrial centers can be manifested.

During his last visit to Batam, President Jokowi admitted that he saw its potentials. “Batam has huge potentials, but there are a lot of complaints about poor services in land sector,” the President added.

For that reason, a limited meeting which was attended by Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/ Head of National Land Agency as well as other related ministers, is expected to become a forum for the Governor, Mayor, and Head of BP Batam to openly deliver their problems so the meeting will immediately generate solutions to that problems.

Attending the event were Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, Minister of Health Nila F. Moeloek, Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Mohamad Nasir, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/ Head of National Land Agency Sofyan Djalil, Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of Transportation Budi K. Sumadi, Minister of Communication and Informatics Rudiantara, Head of Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Thomas Lembong, Governor of Riau Islands Nurdin Basirun, Head of BP Batam Hartanto, and Mayor of Batam Muhammad Rudi. (FID/SM/JAY/ES)  (RA/MMB/YM/Naster)