We have to think creatively on how to take advantage of our existing assets.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Ministry is developing a Marine Aquarium Education Center in Pangandaran District, West Java Province, as an education, training, consultation, and conservation facility.

Head of the Research and Human Resources Agency for Marine and Fisheries (BRSDM) I Nyoman Radiarta noted in a press release on Monday that the government will collaborate with a private local company through an operational cooperation agreement (KSO) to develop the facility.

Development of the Marine Aquarium Education Center is a revitalization project of the existing Pangandaran Integrated Aquarium and Marine Research Institute (PIAMARI) that is managed by BRSDM’s Tegal Fisheries Training and Dissemination Center (BPPP).

The BRSDM head stated that on account of institutional transformation of the research ecosystem in Indonesia, where research activities are transferred to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the KSO aims to optimize the use of assets owned by the KKP Ministry.

"Hence, it becomes a challenge for us on how to develop and utilize our former research assets to bolster education, training, and consultation activities in the marine and fisheries sector,” he stressed.

In addition, he noted that development can create new job and business growth opportunities for the surrounding community as well as increase the non-tax state revenues (PNPB) that can be used to improve public services.

Radiarta said the KSO was also in line with the directives of KKP Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono to manage and utilize the ministry’s assets through a cooperation scheme with various parties to boost the state revenue.

The pre-official launch of the Marine Aquarium Education Center is scheduled to take place in December 2022. The ministry had signed the KSO with PT. Tridacna Banyu Lestari.

The BRSDM head expected that the attempt can be a good start in optimizing state assets to benefit the wider community.

Head of the ministry’s Finance Bureau, Cipto Hadi Prayitno, noted that the implementation of KSO was an excellent state property (BMN) optimization.

"The innovation offered (by the implementation of KSO) is the best solution to develop the Marine Aquarium Education Center. We have to think creatively on how to take advantage of our existing assets," he added.

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Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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