VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Ministry of Industry continues to encourage the growth of industrial estates because of its strategic role in spurring regional economic growth to the national level. Industrial areas also provide efficiency for the company's operations in it because of the availability of integrated facilities so as to boost the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.

"In fact, with the existence of this industrial area, it can also open up many jobs from incoming industrial sector investments," said Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto at the 2019 Group Groundbreaking Ceremony for Karawang New Industry City Tenants in Karawang, West Java, Thursday (20 / 6).

According to the Minister of Industry, with the increase in employment, the income of the community will also increase and have an impact on improving the local economy. In addition, the productivity of companies located in industrial estates can be boosted in an effort to create high added value.

The development of KNIC, which poured funds of up to USD300 million, was able to attract investment of up to USD100 million from six companies that have committed themselves to being tenants. These investors include China, Taiwan, Japan and Indonesia. This integrated industrial area is targeted to be able to create 4,000 new jobs.

On this occasion, there were groundbreaking of six companies that will operate, namely PT Wook Global Technology, PT Ikimura Indotools Center, PT Ruiyuan Karawang Industrial Innovation and Development, PT Wonderful Food International, PT Brightgene Biomedical Indonesia, and PT Binamitra Kwartasedaya. They are among others engaged in the food, pharmaceutical, packaging and precision industries.

KNIC is considered to have a strategic location because it is located 47 km east of Jakarta and is right in the middle of the economic path between the cities of Jakarta and Bandung. Moreover, it is supported by key infrastructure, such as the Cikampek toll road, Jabodetabek LRT, Bandung Jakarta fast train plans, elevated toll roads, Kertajati Airport, and Patimban Port.

"As an industrial estate manager, KNIC needs to continue to improve services to industrial companies and strengthen cooperation relationships with the government and other business sectors, including participating in increasing competent industrial human resources," said Airlangga.

Appreciate

The Minister of Industry expressed his appreciation for the development of KNIC as one of the fastest investments in developing industrial estates in Indonesia. "This KNIC investment is the result of the realization of the visit of President Joko Widodo in 2016 before the G20 in Hangzhou. CFLD International is a partner at a seminar in Shanghai, "he said.

According to Airlangga, the investment also shows that Indonesia is still the main destination for investment, especially in the industrial sector. "This is as expected by Mr. Jokowi that there needs to be an increase in investment, and in Karawang we can see that the industrial sector is still passionate. Moreover, later the fiscal incentive package will be issued to support the increasingly moving business climate, "he added.

The Minister of Industry also assessed that the infrastructure built at KNIC has a trademark design and global class quality. "We are happy, CFLD continues to believe in Indonesia, because they have built industrial estates in Tangerang, which are 10 times the size of Karawang," he said.

For Indonesia, the northern corridor of Java has a strategic location in the development of industrial estates. Because, the Karawang and Bekasi regions are considered to be the Detroit of Indonesia. "Many of the automotive sectors there make it one of their hubs at the regional level," Airlangga said.

Furthermore, the government continues to be determined to develop and improve infrastructure. One of them is the Patimban Port project which can support the needs of the automotive industry. "We hope that the port will become one of the benchmarks for industrial cities. Besides that, it also becomes a showcase of industrial city best practice, "he added.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said that the KNIC development in Karawang confirmed the position of West Java as one of the important industrial centers for Indonesia. As the 25th industrial zone in West Java, KNIC will create profitable jobs and facilitate knowledge-sharing from existing communities and will be a stimulant for the local economy. (kemenperin)