KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian investors are being urged to explore business opportunities in Palembang and Belitung, Indonesia, places which are still not much known to the general public.
The president of the Malindo Business and Cultural Center (MBCC) Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Bakar said both districts had good economic potential due to rich natural resources such as minerals and coal, as well as tin.
“In Palembang, there are many mineral resources. In Belitung, there is still a lot of lands open for exploration. At the same time, there are other areas such as fishery and agriculture and infrastructure development to be considered.
“Belitung also has a beautiful beach with the potential for the setting up of hotels and homestay programmes, as well as housing, while land is cheap there,” he told a media conference on the Malaysia-Indonesia All-ASEAN Cultural and Economic Forum here on Sunday.
The June 26 Forum is being jointly organised by the MBCC and the Yayasan Kesultanan Palembang Darussalam with the cooperation of Malaysia’s Tourism and Culture and Foreign Affairs Ministries, as well as the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Abdul Rahman, other sectors seen as having potential in Palembang and Belitung is the construction of institutions of higher learning, shopping malls as well as infrastructure that is compatible with the region.
“I am at this time asking Malaysians to focus on these two districts due to their low visibility in terms of opportunities to be explored and will widen the interest to others in due time,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Economic Counsellor at the Indonesian Embassy, Hendra Satya Pramana said Malaysian investors were welcome to invest in the country.
“Indonesia is now developing and we need much support from neighbours such as Malaysia in respect of economic cooperation, particularly investments.
“The forum is a good opportunity for us to share information on Indonesia, and specifically related to investment potential in areas as Palembang and Belitung,” he added.- Bernama. (Source: The Star online: http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2015/06/15/malaysian-investors-urged-to-invest-in-palembang-and-belitung/)