JAKARTA - Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Hendry Munief, asked the government to seize various opportunities that arise due to the weakening of the Singapore economy.
Hendry did not deny that this weakening of the Singaporean economy was a blessing for the city of Batam. However, when this opportunity is not properly seized, the regulations are not properly regulated, this will only bring new problems in the country.
"We have to see this condition in Singapore as an opportunity. The government is preparing everything so that Indonesia becomes the best alternative for people and entrepreneurs who have been in Singapore," said Hendry in his statement in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Thursday, February 12.
This was conveyed by Hendry during a Special Visit of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives to Batam City.
He said that the economy of Batam City has been growing rapidly recently, after the weakening of the Singapore economy. This condition is well received, considered as an opportunity and a challenge.
Hendry said Batam has a strategic role as a border area as well as the main gateway for international tourism in the western region of Indonesia.
The geographical proximity to Singapore, the support for cross-country transportation connectivity, and the status as a Free Trade Zone (Free Trade Zone) make Batam the main magnet for foreign tourists, especially from Singapore.
"Based on BPS data, foreign tourist visits to Batam show a very significant increase trend. In the period January-August 2025, the total number of tourist visits reached more than 1 million people, with about 50-65 percent of them coming from Singapore," he said.
The high level of visits to Batam today is inseparable from the weakening of the current Singapore economy, namely the new trend of Singaporeans on Saturdays and Sundays shopping for daily necessities in Batam. This, according to him, is due to the high price of goods in Singapore.
"The effect is that there is a short orientation, only one or two days, the average length of stay of tourists is around 1.86 days. This pattern shows the characteristics of short-term tourism which tends to be oriented towards shopping activities (shopping tourism), not long-term experience-based tourism," said Hendry.
This fact confirms that Singapore is not only a major market, but also a dominant factor in Batam's economic dynamics. From an economic perspective, this high flow of tourists contributes positively to the hotel, trade, and service sectors. The occupancy rate of hotel rooms (TPK) in August 2025 was recorded at 53.82 percent.
The phenomenon of buying goods in large quantities by foreign tourists and cross-border intermediaries, which is often referred to by the public as "people on board" has sparked concerns that the distribution of goods for the people of Batam will be disrupted.
"As a result, there are indications of price pressure on goods in Batam today. Indeed, the problem of scarcity is specific, temporary, and highly dependent on certain commodities, but it still has the potential to grow if it is not managed properly. And we ask the central government not to let this drag on," said Hendry.
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