Taiwanese firms are ready to help develop aquaculture, agriculture, tourism, and banking industries in Morotai."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - PT Jababeka, an Indonesia-based company primarily engaged in managing and developing real estate, and its partner from Taiwan will develop the tourism area in Morotai Island, North Maluku, according to Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

"I believe Morotai will soon be bustling with activities and become a world-class destination that can be counted on to attract foreign tourists," the tourism minister remarked here on Wednesday.

According to Yahya, Jababeka will develop its business in stages in Morotai, which has become a special economic zone for tourism.

Yahya noted that as part of the first stage, the company will build 10 thousand homestays with middle-class facilities and hotels with 10 thousand rooms.

With its partner from Taiwan, Jababeka will then develop tourism areas, schools, agriculture, fisheries, and trade areas in Morotai.

Based on the belief that Morotai has a promising economic potential, Jababeka is ready to allocate funds worth some Rp6.8 trillion from the company and investors to develop the island.

Morotai, with scenic landscapes and marine beauty, is strategically located on the cruise lanes between Asia and Australia.

"Morotai is unique and has an edge over other regions in Indonesia as it is easily accessible from Australia and Japan. Our forecast is that Morotai will thrive in the next 100 years," Jababeka Morotai Development advisor Basuri T. Purnama remarked.

Purnama said Jababeka had succeeded in developing an industrial area in Cikarang, West Java, and had become the largest in Southeast Asia, so by working with its partner from Taiwan, the company will set up a tourism school in Morotai to train local employees.

In addition, Jababeka will invite other investors from Taiwan to invest in tourism infrastructure development, worth trillions of rupiah, in Morotai.

Purnama stated that the head of the Taipei Economic and Trade Representative in Indonesia Andrew Hsia will follow up on Morotai Islands development agreement.

"Taiwanese firms are ready to help develop aquaculture, agriculture, tourism, and banking industries in Morotai," Andrew added.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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