SEZ Has Recorded Investment Value Of IDR 140 Trillion And Absorbs 86,l273 Manpower

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government revealed that the cumulative Special Economic Zone (KEK) until 2023 had recorded an investment value of IDR 140 trillion and absorbed 86,273 workers from 318 business actors.

Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso who also serves as Acting Secretary General of the National Council of SEZs assesses that SEZs have increased their important role as a source of new growth in the regions.

"Since it was developed from 2009 through Law Number 39 of 2009 concerning Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as a policy with ultimate facilities and convenience," said Susiwijono at the Working Meeting on Evaluation of KEK Developments Quarter III, quoted from Antara, Monday 9 October.

Meanwhile, the investment target in 2023 was recorded at IDR 62.1 trillion and investment realization had been achieved at 57.87 percent until the third quarter of 2023.

The targeted employment for 2023 as many as 69,763 people has been successfully realized by 45.23 percent until the third quarter of 2023.

"With the strengthening of policies that apply in SEZs that provide certainty, clarity, and ease of policy implementation, it is hoped that it can improve the quality of the investment climate in the SEZ and encourage more and more investors to enter the Indonesian SEZ, especially PMA," said Susiwijono.

Susiwijono explained, through the meeting it had been revealed that the implementation of facilities for convenience in SEZs was increasingly being given after the implementation of Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation. This also has a positive impact on SEZ competitiveness as an investment destination.

Furthermore, in the work meeting, various issues and challenges faced by SEZs such as the use of Tax Holiday, immigration or employment issues, and land issues, as well as challenges related to licensing through Online Single Submission (OSS).

In order to answer the existing challenges, the Secretariat General of the National Council of SEZs will intensively coordinate and collaborate with all relevant policy makers (stakeholders), both at the central and regional levels, so that SEZs can achieve their development targets and be able to provide great benefits for the community.

"Public communication is one of the important things to be able to publish important SEZ achievements. This will of course also be able to increase the positive image of SEZ as an important investment destination," said Susiwijono.

Previously, Susiwijono considered that SEZs were also able to support the Indonesian economy in the midst of the current global economic uncertainty.

This is shown by various positive SEZ achievements ranging from the application of downstreaming, investment realization, to the addition of a significant number of business actors.

Therefore, the KEK National Council is committed to encouraging all SEZ Development and Management Enterprises (BUPP) to take advantage of momentum by improving performance in various SEZ areas. So far, the government has implemented the SEZ policy as a strategy in encouraging investment through regional preparation aimed at supporting the realization of a resilience and inclusive national economy.

The development of SEZs is also expected to be able to contribute significantly to regional and national economic growth.