When Kalimantan Becomes an ASEAN Trade Corridor

Connectivity with Malaysia and the ASEAN market provides West Kalimantan with broader access. This access must be accompanied by sufficient business capacity to ensure that more trade value is created and retained within the region.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The planned implementation of the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) in the Kalimantan Corridor starting in 2027 will further connect trade between Indonesia and Malaysia. This system allows goods to move across ASEAN countries with simpler and more coordinated customs transit procedures.

The Jagoi Babang-Serikin route in West Kalimantan will become one of the vital routes in increasingly integrated cross-border trade.

Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Trade, Dyah Roro Esturing Widya Putri, emphasised the readiness of infrastructure, legal aspects, and procedures to support the implementation of the Kalimantan Corridor ACTS. All three must be available for the system to operate effectively once implemented.

Once the route is ready, attention must shift to the growing economic activities and the value created along the corridor. As the movement of goods becomes easier, the demand for collection, storage, packaging, financing, transport, and distribution will also increase. New economic spaces are emerging between production centres and markets.

Cross-border trade in West Kalimantan has already shown this direction. The export value through the Jagoi Babang Integrated Border Post (PLBN) increased from Rp58.73 billion in 2023 to Rp75.39 billion in 2024, and to Rp101.74 billion in 2025. By August 2026, the value reached approximately Rp109.40 billion. The traded commodities are dominated by agricultural products and fish.

This potential is evident in the fisheries trade. Exports of fishery commodities through the Jagoi Babang PLBN reached 676.96 tonnes with a value of Rp16.09 billion up to August 2026. The traded commodities include prawns, crabs, clams, pomfret, snapper, squid, mackerel, grouper, swimming crabs, cuttlefish, salted fish, and various other fishery products. This trade involves both large companies and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).