BKPM Confident Samota SEZ in NTB Will Become a New Investment Magnet
The development of the Samota Special Economic Zone (SEZ) must be supported by a ready investment ecosystem, ranging from land certainty and infrastructure to the presence of investors prepared to realise their commitments.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Investment and Downstream Industry/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) is confident that the proposed Samota (Saleh-Moyo-Tambora) Special Economic Zone in Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), can become a new investment magnet in eastern Indonesia, particularly for the tourism and blue economy sectors.
Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry/Deputy Head of BKPM Todotua Pasaribu said the development of the Samota SEZ must be supported by a ready investment ecosystem, ranging from land certainty and infrastructure to the presence of investors prepared to realise their investments.
In an official statement issued in Jakarta on Saturday, Todotua said the proposed Samota SEZ is intended not only to bring about a new tourist destination, but also to build an investment zone capable of creating added economic value, attracting long-term investment, and opening up quality employment for local communities.
“The proposal to develop the Samota SEZ must be placed in a broader context. This zone must be able to serve as an instrument to optimise the region’s advantages while supporting the direction of national investment policy, which gives attention to productive sectors, including tourism, the blue economy, the green economy, creative industries, agro-maritime activities, as well as strengthening connectivity and logistics,” he said.
Todotua explained that investment is one of the main engines of national economic growth. The government is targeting investment realisation of around Rp13,032.8 trillion during the 2025-2029 period to support Indonesia’s economic growth target of 8 per cent in 2029.
As of the first half of 2026, national investment realisation had reached Rp1,040.6 trillion, or 49.5 per cent of the 2026 target of Rp2,041.3 trillion. This realisation has also absorbed more than 1.4 million workers. Investment distribution is also becoming more even, with 50.2 per cent of realisation located outside Java.
He added that NTB Province occupies an increasingly strategic position on the national investment map. Between 2021 and the second quarter of 2026, investment realisation in NTB has reached approximately Rp216.7 trillion.
Meanwhile, in the first half of 2025, investment realisation in NTB reached Rp32.9 trillion, showing steadily increasing investment appeal. In the tourism sector specifically, cumulative investment realisation from 2023 to the first half of 2026 reached Rp190 trillion, placing NTB among the top five provinces for investment in that sector.
The development of the Samota area is also supported by the enactment of the NTB Provincial Regulation on the NTB Provincial Spatial Plan 2024-2044, which governs the development of the Samota area.
Todotua assessed that Sumbawa Regency has strong fundamentals to develop as a new investment area. The region lies around the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lane (ALKI) II, making it strategically positioned as a logistics and regional distribution hub connecting the western and eastern parts of Indonesia.
In addition, Samota has potential for developing a premium tourism-based economy, the blue economy, and the downstreaming of the fisheries and agro-maritime sectors.
“Granting SEZ status is not the end goal. What matters most is ensuring that the area is economically and financially viable, has land certainty, has a clear business plan, is supported by adequate infrastructure, and has investors ready to realise their investments,” said Todotua.