Coordinator for Ecosystem and Utilization of Information Technology and Communication at the Ministry of National Development Planning, Andianto Haryoko, delivered the remarks after attending a press briefing on CIPS DigiWeek 2024 in Jakarta on Friday.
According to Haryoko, data center investment could become a driving force for the economy of the surrounding areas and help absorb workers.
He explained that many foreign investors are interested in building data centers in Batam due to several factors.
The first factor is Batam's status as a free trade zone and the presence of the Nongsa Digital Park SEZ, which provides ease to foreign investors in building a data center.
The second, Batam's location, which is relatively safe from natural disasters because it is not located on the Ring of Fire.
And third, Batam shares a border with Singapore.
Earlier on Thursday, Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Susiwijono Moegiarso, said that six new investors are interested in investing in building a data center in the Nongsa Digital Park SEZ in Batam.
The investors are from China, Japan, and the United States (US).
Currently, 10 data centers are being developed in the Nongsa Digital Park SEZ: 9 are at the construction stage, while 1 data center is in the project commitment stage.
Moegiarso noted that to build more data centers in Nongsa Digital Park, more land and a lot of electricity and water will be required.
To this end, the government is seeking to expand the land to develop investment in data centers. Currently, around 20–30 hectares of land are still needed to accommodate 16 data centers in Batam. (INE)
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Translator: Bayu Saputra, Raka Adji
Editor: Atman Ahdiat
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