Farhan offers Bandung as location for PFII development

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan has offered the city as one of the locations for the development of the Financial Centre or Indonesia International Financial Centre (PFII) to the central government.

Farhan said the idea is part of his vision to make Bandung a technology hub as well as a financial hub.

“So I want to pitch this to Mr Purbaya, Mr Rosan at Danantara, Mr President — Bandung is a perfect fit to be made into the Indonesia International Financial Centre (PFII),” Farhan said in Bandung on Wednesday.

According to him, Bandung has a number of potentials to be developed as a financial centre, one of which is through the construction of a data centre that is an important part of supporting the technology and financial ecosystem.

Farhan assessed that Bandung’s relatively cool geographical conditions can be one of the advantages in developing a data centre, especially to reduce cooling energy needs.

“If a data centre is built in Bandung, the average electricity cost will be lower because the air in Bandung is cooler,” he said.

In addition, Farhan mentioned that energy availability is one of the supporting factors for the development of the PFII in Bandung.

According to him, within the next three years Bandung will receive additional electricity supply from the Legok Nangka Waste-to-Energy Power Plant (PSEL).

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto announced plans for the location of the Indonesia Financial Centre or Indonesia International Financial Centre (PFII) to be developed in Jakarta and Bali.

Prabowo said Jakarta will be the initial location of the PFII and the government is also preparing Bali as the next development location, with the opportunity to open similar areas in other regions deemed attractive to investors and large funds from abroad.