TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin invited a number of ministers, governors, and heads of institutions to his office this afternoon to deliberate the realization of the development of the halal industry area in the country. During the meeting, Ma'ruf asked State-Owned Enterprises Minister (SOE) Erick Thohir to study the availability of state lands for the project.

“What's important is the availability of land, I see that the SOE Minister is the richest because the ministry has a lot of lands everywhere,” said Ma'ruf on Thursday, July 2.

According to Vice President, West Java Province has great potential to be developed into a halal industry area given its land availability and adequate facilities.

“I think there are regions in West Java that are worthy to be designed into this project, those with facilities, close to ports, airports, toll road access, and have an electricity supply, telecommunications networks, availability of skilled workers,” Ma'ruf Amin added.

Presented at the meeting were Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, SOE Minister Erick Thohir, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, the Investment Coordinating Board Head (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia, and the Industry Ministry’s Director for Industry Area Ignatius Warsito.

The development of the halal industry has been stipulated in the Presidential Regulation or Perpres No. 28/2020 concerning the National Sharia Economy and Finance Committee (KNEKS).

The Indonesian government assessed that there are at least five industrial areas that could likely be converted to halal industry areas, such as Modern Cikande in Banten, Bintan Inti in Riau Islands, Batamindo in Batam City, Jakarta Pulogadung, and "Safe and Lock" Sidoarjo, East Java.

Read: Indonesia Should Become Major Halal Product Exporter: VP

DEWI NURITA