VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Four large-scale companies are prepared to invest trillions of rupiahs in the industrialized island of Batam this year, Chief of the Batam Free Trade Area and Free Port Management Board, Muhammad Rudi, said.

"This year, representatives of four large companies came to Batam and talked with us," he said during the launch of the Batam regional head election here on Saturday.

He expressed hope that the regional head election would run smoothly so that it would not disturb the plan of the companies to invest in the industrialized city.

"The investment amount is huge. It will run up to 20 trillion rupiahs," he said.

However, he refused to divulge the type of investment the companies will make in the city, which shares sea borders with Singapore.

He feared if the security in the city is disturbed the companies would cancel their investment plans.

"If it is disturbed even a little bit they will return to their place of origin. We hope the organizer of the regional head election will ensure Batam is secure and peaceful," he said.

The Batam city administration is ready to help organize the regional head election in accordance with the law and regulation, he said.

A total of 270 provinces and districts across Indonesia will hold simultaneous regional head elections on September 23, 2020. (ANTARA)