Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Industry Minister MS Hidayat is convinced the country`s non-oil and non-gas manufacturing industries will grow by 7.1 percent in 2012, up from 6.9 percent in 2011.

"We are optimistic that the 7.1 percent growth would be achieved if all policies and programs in the industrial fields proceed well this year," the minister said here on Monday.

He said that the upward trend in the manufacturing industry growth in 2011 would continue in 2012.

National industry will experience growth in 2012 as reflected in the booming of demand for industrial zones, the minister said.

"Industrial zones which we are developing are now sold out. This is an indication that new investment continues to increase," he said.

He said that in 2012 at least 3,000 hectares of new industrial zones would be needed.

"The new industrial zones will be prepared in Java and outside Java, particularly in areas which have begun to develop infrastructures," the minister added.

Industrial sectors which would become prima donna will remain to be the automotive, electronics, information and technology (IT) and petrochemicals, among others.

The minister said that in order to anticipate crisis, the government should accelerate infrastructure development through its Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia`s Economic Development (MP3EI) program, tax incentives, regulation reforms and protection of domestic market.(*)


A014/HAJM/S012

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012