Visit by SMS (Defence) (Foreign Affairs) Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman to Batam, Indonesia, 15 August 2019

Senior Minister of State (SMS), Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman visited Batam in Riau Islands (KEPRI) Province on 15 August 2019. 

SMS Maliki called on Acting KEPRI Governor Bapak H Isdianto. They reaffirmed the strong relations between Singapore and KEPRI and explored ways to further strengthen cooperation, including in areas of tourism, investment and culture. SMS Maliki invited Acting Governor Isdianto to visit Singapore to continue their discussions, which the latter accepted.

SMS Maliki met with BP Batam Chairman Edy Putra Irawady and received an update on Batam’s economic plans. SMS Maliki welcomed the strong investment partnership and deep people-to-people links between Singapore and Batam. 

SMS Maliki also met selected business leaders over tea, during which they exchanged views on recent developments in Batam.

SMS Maliki was also the Guest-of-Honour at the Singapore National Day Reception hosted by the Singapore Consulate-General in Batam on 15 August 2019. The reception was attended by local dignitaries, officials, military personnel, and members of the Singapore community living in Batam. The full text of SMS Maliki’s remarks at the reception is appended.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

15 AUGUST 2019

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SPEECH BY SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMAN AT THE SINGAPORE CONSULATE-GENERAL IN BATAM’S NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION, THURSDAY 15 AUGUST 2019

Yang Saya Hormati Syamsul Bahrum, Pewakilan (Pelaksana Tugas) P.L.T. Gubernur KEPRI

Para tamu yang terhormat

Dan juga Teman-teman warga Singapura

1 Selamat malam, dan terima kasih atas sambutan hangatnya malam ini. Saya sangat bahagia bisa berkumpul kembali dengan teman-teman di Batam. Hari ini, Saya baru saja melakukan beberapa pertemuan yang bermanfaat dengan teman-teman lama dan teman-teman baru. Baru dua bulan yang lalu saya menyambut Walikota Rudi di acara Open House Hari Raya di kediaman saya, di Singapura, dan menegaskan kembali hubungan erat antara Singapura dan KEPRI. Saya senang kali ini giliran saya berkunjung ke KEPRI dan melihat beberapa perkembangan baru selama setahun terakhir.

2 Singapura dan KEPRI adalah sahabat lama. 30 tahun yang lalu, kita berbagi cita-cita bersama untuk membangun kemitraan ekonomi yang kuat dan saling menguntungkan, dan kemudian dikonsep menjadi Kawasan Industri Batamindo. Saya gembira bahwa sampai hari ini, Kawasan Industri Batamindo terus menarik perusahaan baru. Ini adalah kesaksian tentang kejelian para pemimpin kita ke depan, dan komitmen bahwa Singapura dan Indonesia harus membangun kemitraan jangka panjang.

3 Singapura hingga saat ini masih sangat percaya pada KEPRI. GDP KEPRI tumbuh sebanyak 4,66% pada kuartal kedua tahun 2019 dibandingkan dengan periode yang sama pada tahun 2018, dan saya yakin itu akan menjadi lebih baik, walaupun kondisi ekonomi global terlihat semakin tidak pasti. Singapura telah menjadi investor kumulatif terbesar di KEPRI selama beberapa tahun terakhir. Total kesediaan investasi Singapura di Batam, Bintan dan Karimun sebesar USD 3,7 miliar. Singapura dan Indonesia juga telah meluncurkan perjalanan promosi investasi bersama. Hal ini memungkinkan kedua pihak menunjukkan kuatnya nilai investasi, saat Singapura dan Indonesia saling melengkapi.

4 Pariwisata tetap menjadi pilar utama hubungan kita, dengan Singapura menyumbang hampir setengah dari kedatangan wisatawan ke KEPRI pada tahun 2018. Untuk menarik lebih banyak wisatawan ke KEPRI, Changi Airport Group meluncurkan Fly-Ferry Initiative pada Mei tahun ini. 300 penumpang sejauh ini mendapat manfaat dari transit yang lebih mudah antara Changi Airport dan Batam atau Bintan.

5 Singapura juga telah mendukung cita cita digital Indonesia di Batam. Pada resepsi tahun lalu, saya berbicara tentang Nongsa Digital Park, yang secara resmi dibuka pada Maret 2018 oleh para menteri luar negeri Singapura dan Indonesia. Saya senang melaporkan bahwa hari ini, taman tersebut telah berkembang menjadi rumah bagi 70 perusahaan, dan lebih dari 300 karyawan Indonesia. Target ambisius 1.000 karyawan pada akhir tahun juga telah ditetapkan. Apple Academy ketiga di Indonesia sedang dibangun di Nongsa Digital Park, dan angkatan pertama akan memulai latihan bulan depan. Glints, sebuah perusahaan layanan S.D.M (Sumber Daya Manusia) dari Singapura, juga meningkatkan penawaran pelatihan. Cabang latihannya, Glints Academy, akan menawarkan kursus pengembangan selama lima bulan, dan melatih lebih dari 1.000 peserta latihan. Hal tersebut akan menyediakan pekerja yang terampil dan mengerti teknologi ke perusahaan-perusahaan di Nongsa Digital Park. Surbana Jurong baru-baru ini ditunjuk sebagai master planner untuk mengembangkan pusat ekonomi digital di Nongsa. Perusahaan tersebut juga akan membantu merancang fase selanjutnya untuk pembangunan Nongsa. Semua ini adalah perkembangan baru yang menarik, dan mendukung visi kita tentang Batam sebagai "jembatan digital" antara Singapura dan Indonesia.

6 Hari ini saya juga ingin memberikan perhatian khusus kepada para perwira dari Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI). Singapura dan Indonesia memiliki hubungan pertahanan yang erat. Saya maklum apabila kepala militer kedua negara kita bertemu di Batam bulan lalu untuk bermain golf. Kisah-kisah pribadi ini adalah bagian dari gambaran yang jauh lebih besar tentang persahabatan, kerja sama, dan kepercayaan di antara dua militer kita.

[Unofficial English Translation:

Your Excellency Syamsul Bahrum, Representative of the acting Governor of KEPRI

Distinguished guests

Fellow Singaporeans

1 Good evening, and thank you for the warm welcome. It is a joy to be back among friends in Batam again. I just wrapped up a fruitful day of meetings with both old and new friends. Just two months ago I had the pleasure of welcoming Mayor Rudi to my Hari Raya Open House in Singapore, reaffirming the close ties between Singapore and KEPRI. I’m glad that it is my turn to visit KEPRI and to see some of the new developments over the past year.

2 Singapore and KEPRI are old friends. 30 years ago, we shared the common ambition to build a strong, win-win economic partnership, and the Batamindo Industrial Park was thereby conceptualised. I am happy that till today, the Batamindo Industrial Park continues to attract new companies. This is a testimony to the foresight of our leaders, and to the commitment that Singapore and Indonesia have to build a long-term partnership.

3 Singapore remains a strong believer in KEPRI. KEPRI’s GDP grew by 4.66% in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the same period in 2018, and I am confident that it will do even better, even as global economic conditions look more uncertain. Singapore has been the largest cumulative investor in KEPRI for several years now. The total stock of Singapore investments in Batam, Bintan and Karimun amounts to USD 3.7 billion. Singapore and Indonesia have launched joint investment promotion trips which have enabled both sides to showcase the strong value proposition that Singapore and Indonesia can offer investors when we leverage on our complementary strengths.

4 Tourism remains a key pillar of our relationship, with Singapore accounting for almost half of tourist arrivals into KEPRI in 2018. To draw even more tourists to KEPRI, Changi Airport Group launched the Fly-Ferry Initiative in May this year. 300 passengers so far have benefited from a more seamless transit between Changi Airport and Batam or Bintan.

5 Singapore has also been supporting Indonesia’s digital ambitions in Batam. At last year’s reception, I spoke about the Nongsa Digital Park, which was officially opened in March 2018 by the foreign ministers of Singapore and Indonesia. I am glad to report that today, the park has grown to be a home for 70 companies, and over 300 Indonesian employees. It has set the ambitious target of 1,000 employees by year-end. Indonesia’s third Apple Academy is being constructed at the Nongsa Digital Park, and will be enrolling its first batch of trainees next month. Glints Academy, a Singapore Human Resources services company, is also scaling up its training offerings. Its training arm, Glints Academy, will offer a five-month development course, and train up to 1,000 trainees. This provides a ready pipeline of skilled and tech-savvy workers to the companies in Nongsa Digital Park. Surbana Jurong’s recent appointment as the master planner for the development of a digital economy hub in Nongsa, will also help to design and conceptualise the next phase of Nongsa’s growth. All these are exciting new developments, and support our shared vision of Batam as a “digital bridge” between Singapore and Indonesia.

6 Today I would also like to give a special mention to officers from the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI). Singapore and Indonesia share close defence relations. These personal stories are part of a much larger picture of the friendship, cooperation, and trust among our two militaries.]

Singapore Community in Batam

7 I will now speak in English. I am heartened to see many of my fellow Singaporeans here again this evening. You are at the forefront of building deeper links between our peoples. For example, I understand that during Hari Raya this year, the Singaporean community in Batam raised funds for the Qurrotu A’yun Orphanage, to provide them with some household necessities, including electric fans and washing machines. I thank all of you for continuing to do your part to build trust and understanding between the peoples of Singapore and KEPRI.

8 I would also like to express my appreciation to the Rainbow Group, a group of Singaporean volunteers who have worked with the children from the Agape Orphanage. I understand that the children will be performing a medley of Singapore National Day songs shortly. I trust we are all looking forward to their performance.

Consulate-General in Batam

9 I would also like to affirm the good work of our Consulate-General in Batam, led by Consul-General Mark Low. They have done an excellent job in fostering closer ties between Singapore and KEPRI at all levels. The strong turnout at this evening’s reception bears testament to that. I would also like to acknowledge our guests here tonight from our Singapore agencies, including the SAF, ICA, MHA, MOH, EDB, and NParks. Their presence here attests to the breadth and depth of Singapore-KEPRI relations, across many pillars.  

Conclusion

10 In closing, I would like to thank each one of you for the part you have played in promoting closer Singapore-KEPRI relations. I am also happy to note that Indonesia will be celebrating its Independence Day in two days. May I take this opportunity to wish my Indonesian friends a Happy Independence Day!

11 Please allow me to end my remarks with a pantun. Ijinkan saya mengakhiri sambutan hari ini dengan pantun:

Dari Lingga Hingga Natuna

Indah Kepulauannya Tiada Tara

KEPRI Singapura Sahabat Lama

Bergandeng Tangan, Maju Bersama

[Unofficial English Translation:

From Lingga to Natuna

Beautiful islands

KEPRI and Singapore, old friends

Hand in hand, forward together]

12 Thank you and have a great evening ahead.

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