Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – The Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia stressed the important role of investment as an instrument for creating new economic growth areas.
Bahlil praised the Association of Indonesian Regency Governments (Apkasi) for holding the 2023 Autonomy Expo (AOE) Application at Hall 3 ICE BSD, Tangerang Regency, Banten,
as an effort to encourage the creation of new economic growth areas.
“I have to really appreciate this activity, because Apkasi has transformed not only in the context of public services in a normal administrative perspective and continuously does services in the regions, but Apkasi has started to think about how to develop the regional economy in the context of creating new economic growth areas,” Bahlil said in a statement in Jakarta, Sunday.
In his remarks at the AOE 2023 closing ceremony, Bahlil conveyed investment developments, where investment growth is getting better from year to year. He mentioned that investment realization in 2021 and 2022 had succeeded in exceeding the target set by the President.
“Mr. President ordered us in 2023 to realize an investment of IDR 1,400 trillion, because this is a condition for our economic growth to be maintained above 5 percent. This investment figure excludes upstream oil and gas and the financial sector. Alhamdulillah, until today it has been recorded at IDR 678.6 trillion or 58.5 percent,” he said while closing AOE 2023 in Hall 3 ICE BSD, Tangerang Regency, Banten, Saturday (22/7).
Also read: MSME investment reached IDR 138.8 trillion during the first half of 2023
Also read: BKPM records investment in semester I of 2023 absorbing 849 thousand workers
Bahlil also explained that since Indonesia’s independence until the third quarter of 2020, investment has always been dominated by Java. Based on President Jokowi’s order to build Indonesia centric, investment outside Java is now far superior to investment in Java.
“I changed the policy from 2020 in the third quarter to 2023 in the second quarter, thank God, investment outside Java is already greater than that in Java, now it is 53 percent,” he said.
Bahlil also emphasized that investment must be managed properly because it is an instrument for creating new economic growth areas and increasing Regional Original Income (PAD).
“If you only hope that the amount of the General Budget Fund (DAU) will be, the DAU has already been plotted for health for villages and other matters, so that the regent’s fiscal space is getting narrower. So it is necessary to build strong PAD, strong PAD has only one condition, namely investment must be managed properly, this is the key,” he said.
Finally, Bahlil appreciated Apkasi for holding the 2023 Indonesian Autonomous Princess (POI) election and suggested that POI winners could do internships at the Ministry of Investment to encourage them to support the creation of a new business world.
“This POI can become Minister of Investment for two days if necessary, later I can be simulated as a guest so that these Princesses have knowledge of how a minister should take care of investors. I think in the future we must encourage our children, our young generation to become entrepreneurs in order to create new entrepreneurs who will become economic actors who will protect our nation’s sovereignty,” he added.
Previously the Head of the Political and Security Affairs Division of Apkasi, Joune J.E. Ganda, expressed his gratitude to all participants and parties involved in exhibitions, exhibitions and a series of other activities at AOE 2023.
Regent Joune said that AOE 2023 involved 172 participants, consisting of 131 district governments, 2 ministries, 6 from the private sector, 23 from the MSME sector and 10 from the media, all participants occupying 287 stands.
“Visitor data, as of Saturday, July 23 2023, at 14.00 WIB, a total of 10 thousand visitors were recorded. It consists of the general public and businessmen and investors,” said Regent Joune.
AOE 2023 is also structured by business matching which brings together potential buyers and investors from the regions, as well as the Wastra Nusantara Fashion Show and music performances. While the field trip was carried out to invite AOE 2023 participants to see first-hand the best business practices from a district government program, namely Ketapang Urban Aquaculture in Mauk, Tangerang Regency.
Then the Apkasi Journalistic Award was held as an appreciation to journalists who have actively participated in publishing coverage on development in the region.
ANTARA reporter, M. Fikri Setiawan won 3rd place in the 2023 Application Journalistic Award (AJA) in the online media category.
The following is a list of winners for the 2023 Application Journalism Award (AJA):
AJA 2023 Print Media Category:
1st Winner: From Disadvantaged Village Becomes Independent Village by Lilik Darmawan (Media Indonesia)
2nd Place: Waiting for the Second Leap in Labuan Bajo by Francis Pati Herin (Kompas Daily)
3rd place: Egyptian coffee that sells well in Europe and spices from Indonesia by Moh. Hilmi Setiawan (Java Pos)
AJA 2023 Online Media Category:
1st Place: Garut Leather Industry’s Steps to the World Stage by Yudha Maulana (Detik.com)
2nd Place: Encourage Porong Shirataki Madiun Rice to Compete in the Global Market by Budi Nugraha (Suara Merdeka.com)
3rd Place: Building an Economy at the Foot of Mount Salak by M. Fikri Setiawan (Antaranews.com). (mhn/bbs)
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