China, Europe, Asia seek investment chance in Batam

Some companies from China, Europe and Asia were seeking opportunities of investment in Batam, as a result of batam`s participation in trade expo in Nanning, China.

"Many companies from many countries are seeking the chance of investment in Batam," Batam Mayor Ahmad Dahlan said here Saturday, adding that majority of the entrepreneurs are interested in making investment in electronics industry. "I told them Batam is very close to Singapore, and they are interested in making investment," he said. From the talks with many bussinessmen, Dahlan said, many of them asked about the safety assurance, infrastructure and regulations in Batam.

"I said the security and regulations in batam are very pro-business," Dahlan added. Meanwhile, Riau Islands province`s Kadin chairman Johanes Kennedy said Batam change its direction of investment chance source from the United States to Middle East. "It is safer than investment from the US, especially with the financial crisis nowadays," Kennedy said.

source: Antara

Pengusaha UEA berburu proyek RI

Krisis keuangan Amerika Serikat yang mengarah ke krisis ekonomi memberi keuntungan besar bagi pengusaha-pengusaha uni Emirat Arab. Mengambil kesempatan di tengah-tengah melemahnya pengusaha AS yang tengah tak berdaya oleh krisis, sejumlah pengusaha emirat Arab berburu proyek investasi di Indonesia.

Dengan bendera Capital Investment Group, pengusaha UEA ini mencoba peruntungan nasib di Tanah Air. Dan untuk memulai investasinya di Indonesia, para pengusaha UEA ini 'sowan' dihadapan Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla di Istana Wakil Presiden, Jakarta, Kamis (23/10).

"Kita berminat untuk investasi di bidang telekomunikasi, infrastruktur,properti, agriculture," kata Board Member Capital Husan Capital Investment Group Salman Almeri usai bertemu Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla.

Meski memastikan kepincut untuk menanam investasi di Tanah Air, Salman Almeri tidak membeberkan seberapa besar dana segar yang akan dialokasikan di Indonesia. "Jumlah sangat besar, dan masih rahasia saat ini," ujarnya.

Menyangkut Pemilu dan Pilpres 2009 mendatang di Indonesia, salah satu board member capital investment group lainnya, Rafik Messai menegaskan, pengusaha UEA tidak tertarik pada perpolitikan di Indonesia. "Kami pebisnis dan tidak tertarik politik," tuturnya.

Utusan Khusus Presiden RI untuk Timur Tengah Alwi Shihab menegaskan, grup uni Emirat Arab meminta dukungan pemerintah atas rencana investasi jangka panjang di Indonesia.

"Mereka bersedia menjadi jembatan antara Indonesia dan negara-negara Arab, termasuk UEA. Jadi mereka tidak hanya menerima usul proyek, mereka juga menyampaikan proyek-proyek di Timur Tengah," jelasnya.

Capital investment group memiliki sekretariat di gedung Menara Prima lantai 24, jalan lingkar mega kuningan blok 6,2. Dari gedung inilah mereka mengontrol investasi pengusaha-pengusaha UEA di Indonesia.

Sebelumnya diberitakan, para pengusaha UEA berkomitmen memberikan dana proyek senilai 100 juta dollar AS untuk tiga proyek. Proyek itu antara lain real estate, pembangunan pelabuhan di Kalimantan, dan pembelian perusahaan jasa di bidang kesehatan.

source: kompas.com

Germany and Indonesia discuss potential geothermal energy sources

To overcome the current electricity crisis in Indonesia, EKONID (German-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and DENA (German Energy Agency) held a geothermal energy symposium in Jakarta Tuesday. In dealing with renewable geothermal energy sources, the government has issued seven regulations," Luluk Soemarso said on behalf of Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

Government policies are securing sustainable energy supply to support national interests. Meanwhile the mission is aimed at securing energy supplies, improving added value of energy sources, managing energy ethically sustainably and preserving the environment, providing affordable energy for the poor, and developing national capabilities, he said. Luluk added that the National Energy Policy is aimed at improving the role of the energy business, achieving an electrification ratio of 90% by 2020, realizing energy infrastructure facilities, increasing strategic partnerships, decreasing energy intensity by 1% per year, and increasing local contents.

Indonesia is a potential country that could provide 40 percent of the world`s electricity needs, 27.6 Gigawatts, Dr. Surya Darma, President of the Indonesian Geothermal Association said here. However, only 1,025 GW geothermal power plants are built in Indonesia with installed capacities of 9500 MW in the 2004 - 2025 period, he said.. He said Indonesia has developed 18 geothermal sites, 15 are operated by Pertamina, one by a private company, another one by a cooperative organization, and still another one by state power company PT PLN, to generate more than 2000 MW in the next four years.

source: Antara

Kuwait invests US$300 million in Mamuju, West Sulawesi

A Kuwaiti company, Gulf Investment House (GIH), has invested around US$300 million in Mamuju district, Mamuju, West Sulawesi, through capital participation in the Mamuju regional company (Perusda Mamuju).

The memorandum of understanding on the investment was signed by Perusda Mamuju`s president director Benyamin S and GIH`s president director Raseed Al-Badab here on Tuesday, in the presence of Mamuju district head Suhardi Duka and the chairman of the district`s legislative assembly, Thamrin Endeng.

Raseed Al-Badab said on the occasion that his company was attracted to invest in Mamuju because of the region`s natural as well as human resource pontentials that could be exploited to support investment activities.

He said his company had had investments almost across the world such as Europe and America but because it was difficult to develop them the company decided to move them to Asia and to Indonesia in particular.

"We are attracted to invest in Indonesia and in Mamuju in particular because most of the country`s population are Moslem and therefore making it easier for the company to conduct shariah-based investment," he said.

He said he hoped the investment that his company had put in Mamuju would be successful so that it could contribute positively to the development of the company as well as the people in the region.

Suhardi Duka meanwhile said that the US$300 million investment was an initial GIH capital participation as a contractor for Perusda Mamuju before it would later invest in West Sulawesi in line with the existing law.

He said GIH would invest in the region for 30 years to process natural resources in Mamuju such as oil and gas, gold, coal, nickel, iron ore and potentials in the forestry as well as plantation sector.

In view of that he said he asked Perusda Mamuju as a GIH partner to cooperate professionally and transparently with the Middle Eastern company.

"We hope that the investment of GIH could empower the local people and increase local income for raising the living standard of the people," he said.

source: Antara