Jakarta (ANTARA) - During a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, President Prabowo Subianto instructed Cabinet ministers to optimize special economic zones (SEZs) to push economic growth and create more jobs.
Several ministers attended the limited meeting on SEZ development and optimization, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, and Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Rosan Perkasa Roeslani.
Roeslani is also the CEO of Danantara.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia; Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita; Minister of State Secretary, Prasetyo Hadi; and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya also joined the meeting.
“The discussion concerned optimizing the investment performance of SEZs in supporting economic growth and job creation,” Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, while sharing details of the limited meeting.
However, he did not elaborate on the directives issued by the President to the ministers during the meeting.
On a separate occasion, Investment Minister Roeslani said that investment realization in SEZs exceeded the 2024 target of Rp78.1 trillion (around US$4.785 trillion).
“From January to December 2024, it reached Rp90.1 trillion, exceeding the target,” he said in response to reporters’ questions after the meeting.
He also reported that worker absorption in SEZs reached 47,747 in 2024, higher than the target of 38,953.
Furthermore, the number of new business entities entering SEZs throughout 2024 was recorded at 72.
Roeslani said that since they were first established in 2012, the special economic zones (SEZs) have cumulatively attracted a total investment of Rp263.4 trillion (around US$16.140 trillion) and 403 business actors, and created 160,874 jobs.
“This achievement demonstrates a very positive trend in the attractiveness and effectiveness of SEZs as a strategic instrument in promoting equitable development and national economic growth,” he said.
