Airlangga Reveals Indonesia's SEZ Land Area Loses Compared To Other ASEAN Countries

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto revealed that Indonesia's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) area is still inferior when compared to ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

"Indonesia has only 24 KEKs with a new area of 21 thousand (hectares), Mr. President," he said at the inauguration of the KEK Industropolis Batang, Thursday, March 20.

Airlangga said that Vietnam has 4 SEZs with a land area of 1.6 million hectares, Malaysia as many as 6 SEZs with a land area of 2.15 million hectares, Thailand has 10 SEZs with an area of 622 thousand hectares and the Philippines as much as 419 SEZs with an area of 20 thousand hectares.

Airlangga said the 24 SEZs consisted of 12 SEZs of the manufacturing industry, 8 tourism SEZs, 3 SEZs of the digital industry, and 1 other SEZ of services. Meanwhile, the total investment value reached IDR 263.4 trillion with an absorption of 160,874 workers.

Airlangga said that in line with the 8 percent economic growth target launched by the president, increasing investment is one of the priorities.

Therefore, Airlangga conveyed that the Batang Integrated Industrial Zone (KITB) had increased its status to the Industropolis Batang SEZ with a land area of 4,300 hectares. Meanwhile, this status increase is regulated in Government Regulation (PP) Number 12 of 2025.

In addition, SEZ Industropolis Batang already has 27 companies or tenants, with details of 7 operating, 7 under construction, and 13 in the construction preparation stage.

"The administrative office is here, sir. So all permits and others are handled through the Batang SEZ, sir. So one stop service at the SEZ," he said.