"The Taiwan investors have been eyeing our fishery potentials since 2006, and now they are visiting Bengkulu for further talks on their investment plans," Zainal Abidin, Assistant Secretary of the Bengkulu provincial administration, said here.
The Bengkulu provincial government had in 2006 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the association to cooperate in the fisheries sector.
But the implementation of the MoU was halted due to the financial crisis in 2007, and it was to expire in 2011.
"Therefore, today`s discussion was on a plan to renew the memorandum of understanding made in 2006 and they plan to visit Bengkulu again," he said.
The second Memorandum of Understanding would have two new points, namely on cooperation in two other sectors : iron ore and coal, Zainal said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Indonesia-Taiwan Goodwill Association , Malik Hasan Ahmadi, said the Taiwanese businessmen`s investment plan had received a positive response from the Bengkulu provincial government.
"Firstly, we will renew the existing memorandum of cooperation which is to expire soon because there are several other sectors that interest the Taiwanese businessmen like iron ore and coal," he said.
As to the Taiwanese investors` interest in fisheries, Bengkulu was chosen because of its proximity to the Indian Ocean where a lost of tuna fishing activity was going on.
Besides exploring Bengkulu`s fisheries potential, the iron ore potentials in Seluma and Kaur districts had also attracted the Taiwanese investors.
"We are targeting revenues for Bengkulu Province to reach up to Rp3 trillion to Rp 5 trillion from the three sectors, namely fisheries, iron ore and coal mining," Malik said.
(Uu.A050/HAJM/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
