Wahyu Utomo, the Deputy for Coordination of Infrastructure Acceleration and Regional Development, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs explained that the government in its agenda has launched programs to increase the infrastructure development that focuses on regional-based development to achieve the regional equality in Indonesia. We can also see the commitment from the economic policy packages that Government issued which 9 of them is related to infrastructure.
In this panel also, En Mohamad Saelal, the Federal Commissioner of Iskandar Regional Development Authority from Malaysia explain about Malaysia's economic zone. The promote sectors are in the services sectors (financial, logistic, tourism, creative, healthcare an education) and the manufacturing sectors with the participation of investors, government and communities.
Eka Sanatha, the Head of Local Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA), Karawang, in the presentation brought up that the level of the human resources in Karawang is still low according to its Indeks Pembangunan Manusia both from the skills and the education level of the workers.
So to solve the problems, Karawang needs the synergy from the education sector to develop as well, for example, the Balai Latihan Kerja to increase the quality of the labors and the establishment of internship program to increase the competency of the workers.
Sanny Iskandar, Indonesian Industrial Estates Association Chairperson, as the speaker of this section discussed about the importance of the existence of industrial areas such as regulation of the implementation of a better regional spatial plan, legal certainty, concentration and efficiency of the provision and operation of facilities / infrastructure, controlling environmental pollution and increasing employment and industrial / regional economic growth.
It also gives big advantages for the industry companies as well. Still, the industrial areas should be developed in the terms of management and services, infrastructure, environmental management and marketing.
Karina Miaprajna Utari, ASEAN Secretariat presented that the National Technological Capabilities industry, agriculture, mining, energy sector etc can help the regional growth, the NTC itself will be divided into specific Economic Corridor so the spreading into every region is equal.
We can see that every region has its own problems, characters and needs so when we talk about the best practices or best innovation programs to be applied to a region, it depends on the region itself. As what Eka Sanatha said that in Karawang region, since that area is mostly full with industries, so the number of labors are also big, so they need to develop the quality of the labor in Karawang.
Writer:
Vera Hadinata
AFOSP Intern - ASEAN Foundation