15 SEZs Have Operated, Coordinating Minister Airlangga: Able To Export IDR 3.8 Trillion

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto together with Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), and SOE Minister Erick Thohir. (Photo: Doc. Coordinating Ministry for the Economy)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto explained that as many as 15 special economic zones (SEZs) throughout Indonesia have been operating optimally. According to him, the entire region will be able to contribute exports of IDR 3.8 trillion in 2021.

According to Airlangga, the government has built 19 SEZs with an investment value of Rp64.4 trillion. He explained that the economic zone was built by the government based on Government Regulation No. 71.

"Of the 150 existing companies, they can absorb 53,000 workers and their exports reach IDR 3.8 trillion," he said in Jakarta, Tuesday, October 12 yesterday.

Airlangga said that of all the SEZs that were built, there were two mascots that were prima donna, namely the JIIPE Industrial Estate in Gresik and the Kendal Industrial Estate, Central Java. According to Airlangga, this is because the two areas were built using high technology and are inhabited by large export-oriented companies.

Furthermore, Airlangga said that in Gresik, the industrial area was able to absorb tens of thousands of workers. In fact, the smelter that Freeport built in the construction stage alone is estimated to require a workforce of 40,000 people.

"So both of them are encouraged to be export-oriented and high-tech. One of those present today is expected to add 40,000 workers during construction," he said.

Airlangga estimates that the revenue from the smelter could reach US$5.4 billion. This is because the smelter's production capacity reaches 1.7 million tons of mine concentrate and its copper gold production reaches 600 thousand tons.

Furthermore, Airlangga said, with the currently rising world copper price of 9,400 US dollars per tonne, this smelter will provide quite a lot of added value.

"So the smelter investment of IDR 42 trillion or 3.5 billion US dollars can provide revenue from cooper only of 5.4 billion US dollars," he said.