S'pore-Indonesia industrial park has drawn $2.3b in investments

Kendal Industrial Park in Indonesia, which was opened less than six years ago, has since attracted 72 committed tenants with investments valued at US$1.7 billion (S$2.3 billion), said Singapore National Development Minister Desmond Lee yesterday.

The industrial park is a collaborative effort between Singapore and Indonesia, and was inaugurated in November 2016 by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The project underscores the close bilateral ties between the two countries, Mr Desmond Lee said.

He was speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on manpower placement, training and supply yesterday between Kendal Regency, Kendal Industrial Park and Indonesia's Ministry of Industry at Kendal Industrial Park in Central Java.

Mr Lee was on his introductory visit to Indonesia from Tuesday to yesterday, during which he visited Jakarta and Central Java.

He is accompanied by officials from the Ministry of National Development.

Besides attracting foreign investors, Kendal Industrial Park has created 11,600 jobs, which will improve the livelihoods of the local community, said Mr Lee.

"This would not have been possible without the strong support of (industrial developers) Jababeka and Sembcorp," he said, "as well as the leaders at the national and regional levels, such as Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Bapak Airlangga Hartarto, and Central Java Governor, Bapak Ganjar Pranowo... and of course, Bapak Dico Ganinduto, Regent of Kendal, whom I have the distinct honour of meeting today."

Through the Link and Match Programme in Indonesia, 2,800 students have been matched with four companies in Kendal Industrial Park, with another 5,200 placements in the pipeline.

The programme was developed by the Indonesian government with the aim of matching job applicants in vocational high schools to relevant companies and was implemented by Kendal Industrial Park in 2020.

This will ensure that there is a strong pipeline of local talent joining the workforce, and contributing to the growth of Kendal Industrial Park, and of Kendal and Central Java, said Mr Lee.

The MOU signed will ensure that people in Kendal will continue to be equipped with the necessary knowledge and training, and matched with jobs in Kendal Industrial Park.

Mr Lee said: "We hope (Kendal Industrial Park) will strengthen the relationship between Indonesia and Singapore - we are the closest neighbours and friends, and we will support and help each other."