Indomie Boss Conglomerate Anthoni Salim Towards IKN

JAKARTA - After conglomerate Sugianto 'Aguan' Kusuma confirmed that he would invest heavily in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN), it is now reported that Indofood's boss conglomerate Anthoni Salim will also 'cap' his coffers to IKN.

This was said by the Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia who stated that a number of domestic entrepreneurs were ready to lay the first stone (groundbreaking) for the construction of a number of facilities such as hotels and restaurants in the capital city of the archipelago (IKN) in September 2023.

Bahlil also ensured that investments in Indonesian entrepreneurs such as Agung Sedayu Group Sugianto Kusuma and Salim Group would enter IKN.

"(Investment) is running. Yesterday I led the team to IKN and our domestic entrepreneurs such as Pak Aguan (Agung Sedayu Group), Pak Anthoni Salim (Salim Group). They have carried out groundbreaking for several developments such as hotels, then meeting rooms as well as restaurants," he said after laying the first stone for the construction of the factory in Cikarang, West Java, quoted from Antara, Thursday, August 31.

According to Bahlil, the groundbreaking will be carried out in September to achieve the target of completion before August 2024. The government targets to be able to hold the August 17 ceremony at IKN next year.

"After 2024, that's why we are working on a marathon," he said.

However, Bahlil did not mention in detail the total investment value of the national business consortium at IKN. He only emphasized that later the conglomerates would build supporting facilities such as hotels, restaurants, and malls.

"I'll check the value. But what is clear is that there will be a hotel later, there will be a restaurant, there will be a mall. It will be built," said Bahlil.

Previously, the PMDN (Domestic Investment) consortium visited IKN last July. The total planned investment of the consortium in IKN is IDR 30-40 trillion and the plan is to start groundbreaking in September 2023.

However, domestic entrepreneurs emphasize the ease and accessibility of infrastructure needs for investors such as the availability of electricity, water, and telecommunications must be met immediately.