AHY: President Prabowo Subianto Wants Batam to Become a Global Economic Gateway
Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has disclosed President Prabowo Subianto’s ambition to make Batam a global economic gateway.
AHY said this has become a key focus of the government under Prabowo’s leadership. Batam is being positioned to excel not only in Southeast Asia but also on the world stage.
“Under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, we want to build Batam’s economy into a laboratory of sorts, where it becomes a gateway or door to the economy at the Southeast Asian regional level as well as globally,” AHY said during the 2026 Lunar New Year celebration in Batam, Riau Islands, as reported on Tuesday (17 February 2026).
“Hopefully, in keeping with the original spirit behind Batam’s establishment, we can truly continue to safeguard it, so that its economic sector, business, and tourism continue to advance and develop,” he added.
One of Batam’s special attributes, according to AHY, is its free trade zone (FTZ) status. This policy is considered capable of attracting investment and economic strength with positive national impact.
“We must continue to strengthen industry. Downstream processing is also a crucial component — we cannot simply export our natural resources; we must add value,” said AHY, accompanied by Minister for Transmigration M Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara.
Investment Gateway
Previously, Special Staff to the Minister of Investment and Downstream Processing Sona Maesana affirmed Batam’s strategic position as an investment gateway. He also highlighted Indonesia’s ranking at 14th globally and 2nd in Southeast Asia as a destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Sona noted that national investment realisation in 2024 reached USD 114.3 billion, equivalent to Rp 1,714.2 trillion (growing 20.8 per cent year-on-year), as evidence that Indonesia’s investment climate is becoming increasingly competitive globally.
“We are targeting national economic growth of 8 per cent by 2029. To achieve this, a downstream processing strategy is key,” Sona said in a written statement.
Singapore Leads Investment in Batam
Sona, who also serves as Deputy General Treasurer of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI), assessed that Batam plays a significant role in contributing to national investment.
From 2020 through the first semester of 2025, Batam recorded a contribution of 1.67 per cent to total national investment, with average growth approaching 9 per cent per year.
Notably, Singapore dominates foreign direct investment in Batam, contributing 58.42 per cent during the period.
Four Special Economic Zones
“Batam has strong positioning as a manufacturing centre and digital data centre hub. Of the 25 Special Economic Zones (KEK) in Indonesia, 4 are located in Batam. This reinforces Batam’s role as a centre for accelerating future industries,” Sona explained.
According to him, the government through the Ministry of Investment and Downstream Processing (BKPM) will continue to strengthen synergy between industrial estates, business actors, and domestic as well as global investors — particularly in the downstream processing, renewable energy, digital technology, and logistics infrastructure sectors.
“We invite investors to see Batam as a centre of new opportunities, not only in terms of its strategic geographical location, but also in terms of the readiness of its ecosystem and the incentives on offer,” Sona said.