Taiwan to Implement Huge Investment Plan in Morotai

Jakarta (Antara) - Taiwan will soon implement its investment plan on the Morotai island in Maluku to develop that island into an economic center in eastern Indonesia. "We have sent a proposal to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. We are waiting only for his response," Liang-Jen Chang, chairman of the Taiwan Trade and Economic Office (TETO), said here on Tuesday. Earlier, Charles C Li , a senior official of the Taiwan East Asia and Pacific Department, said the Indonesian government had approved the plan and had signed an agreement to develop the island into a "Singapore," in Eastern Indonesia. "The island of Morotai needs 20-30 years to grow to become like Singapore . We are ready to cooperate with the Indonesian government to build the huge project," Li said. He said Taiwanese and Indonesian companies will build airports, seaports, and other infrastructure to make Morotai a tourist destination and fishery industry base. "If western Indonesia already has Batam, Eastern Indonesia will have Morotai ," he said, adding the project will cost hundreds of trillions of rupiahs. The agreement between Indonesia and Taiwan to develop the island of Morotai into an economic center was signed on 15 September 2012. The memorandum of understanding was signed between Sun Pei Ming of TETO and SD Darmono, the president director of PT. Jababeka witnessed by the Maritime and Fishery Minister Sjarif Cicip Soetardjo. PT Jababeka is the operator of an industrial estate in Cikarang, the largest industrial estate in Southeast Asia. (*)