More than 500 investors and businessmen from Singapore packed the Ballroom at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Millenia, Singapore, to attend the second Indonesia Investment Day (IID).

This activity was carried out by the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore in collaboration with all stakeholders incorporated into Indonesia Incorporated in Singapore and supported by the KADIN-Singapore Committee, Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), at the Ritz Carlton Hotel-Singapore, 26 July 2019 The 2nd IID which presented key speaker Deputy Foreign Minister AM Fachir comprehensively presented panel discussions and parallel sessions offering a package of investment projects in the Industry 4.0 sector, tourism (10 New Bali), and infrastructure (housing, toll roads, management water, and MRT).

For the second IID in 2019, as many as 8 Regional Governments participated (West Java, Central Java, East Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Riau Islands, East Kalimantan and North Sulawesi) supported by BUMN and BUMD such as Pelindo I, PT. Jasa Marga, PT. Jakarta MRT, and PD Pasar Jaya, which highlight strategic projects for infrastructure development, tourism destinations and the digital industry sector. The total number of investment packages / projects offered is 45 projects with a potential of more than USD 3 billion.

The IID also provides parallel sessions for one-on-one sessions with local governments, the Directorate General of Taxes, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, to Immigration by providing consultations related to various questions from potential investors. Around 274 companies from Singapore have met individually to explore investment opportunities and challenges in Indonesia.

The 2nd IID was opened by the Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore, Ngurah Swajaya, and continued with a Welcome from Singapore, represented by SBF Chairman Teo Siong Seng. While the keynote speech was delivered by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. A.M. Fachir and video conference by the Head of BKPM, Thomas Lembong.
In his remarks the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Fachir conveyed "Investment is 1 of the 5 main commitments for the second period of President Joko Widodo's administration, and the IID is the right activity to obtain all comprehensive information about Indonesia and explore investment opportunities. On that occasion the Deputy Minister requested that investors also provide feedback on matters that hampered investment in Indonesia. "We ask all investors to explore the potential, close the deal and make contact to the contract", he concluded with a positive response from investors.

In addition IID also presented 3 panel discussions on their respective topics: industry 4.0, tourism (10 New Bali), and infrastructure (housing, toll roads, water management, and MRT). The second IID this year added a start-up pitching program that was followed by 5 curated start-up efforts originating from Jakarta and Yogyakarta.

Industry panel discussion 4.0 featured the Director General of Customs and Excise, Heru Pambudi; The Head of BP Batam, Edy Putra Irawady; and Marketing & Business Development Director of JIIPE (Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate), Sianny Indrawati.

Present as speakers at the tourism panel discussion (10 New Bali) were the Expert Staff of the Ministry of Tourism, Hiramsyah S. Thaib; Jababeka Director (Tanjung Lesung), Setiawan Mardjuki; President Director of Flores Prosperindo (Labuan Bajo), Alfonso Pardede; and Chief Marketing Officer of Traveloka, Dannis Muhammad.

While for the panel discussion on infrastructure, present as guest speaker Deputy Governor of East Java, Dr. H. Emil Dardak; Director of Housing Financing, Ministry of PUPR, Haryo Bekti Martoyoedo; Jakarta MRT President Director, William Sabandar; and Head of the Toll Road Management Agency, Prof. Danang Parikesit.

According to Ambassador Ngurah, this activity was held again to take advantage of investment momentum into Indonesia due to significant opportunities and investment climate supported by infrastructure, strengthening the quality of human resources, as well as improving the ease of doing business and Indonesia's competitive index that continues to increase. All these positive indicators actually occur when the world is overshadowed by the "trade war". Interesting in Indonesia, especially an increase in Indonesia's competitiveness index that continues to increase. The commitment and concrete steps of President Jokowi's government during the first period and the priority vision for the next 5 years actually encouraged investors' interest. "SBF in the 2018 survey still placed Indonesia as the 3 most attractive investment destination for Singapore companies," Ambassador Ngurah said.

Integrated investment promotion activities with investor gathering sessions, match-making projects, tax and labor consultation, to licensing issues, are intended as a "one-stop-event" carried out in an integrated manner to encourage faster investment decisions for investors to take advantage of the investment momentum that is faster good, especially the increase in Indonesia's competitiveness index and tax reduction facilities.

Over the past 5 years Singapore has always been the largest investor in Indonesia whose value has continued to increase. Total FDI in 2018 was USD 9.2 billion (up 9.1% compared to the same period in 2017 amounted to USD 8.4 billion). The total value of Singapore's investment realization from 2013-2018 reached USD 43.2 billion. The potential is still possible to increase investment in Indonesia, including in the field of infrastructure development, industry 4.0 and the digital economy.

"During the first to second quarters of this year we experienced a slight slowdown because many businesses were waiting for the results of the 2019 Presidential Election, but now Singaporean investors are excited again, even specifically for the digital economy sector which has experienced a rapid increase," he concluded.

The concrete result of the holding of 2019 IID was the signing of 4 MOUs between the Belitung Regency Government and PT. Haebara Indonesia Internasional about developing Halal Poultry Breeding in Belitung; MRT Jakarta with SMRT International regarding Cooperation in Capacity Building and Human Resources Development; PT. Alas Watu Utama with and Joe Green about the Precast Center in Karimun Island; and PT. Flores Makmur Indonesia (Flores Prosperindo) with PT. Arya Watala Capital JV Scatec about Renewable Power Generators in Indonesia. In addition, there were 3 MOU signing business agreements in the digital economy (start-up companies) with Singapore venture capital RHT Consulting and Ventures, namely: WEKODE, Glexindo, and Six Rider. All three are the result of curation from Nusantara Pitch: Indonesia Startup Nation 2019, which was held 2 days before the holding of Indonesia Investment Day 2019. (WT / REN / IWO)

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