The Tanjung Lesung Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is the first tourism SEZ established by the government in an effort to realize equitable economic growth in the Banten and southern Java regions. The area of 1,500 hectares has exotic natural and cultural beauty. So, this area is expected to attract many foreign tourists.
“I have said that Tanjung Lesung will be developed into international tourism,” said Vice President K.H. Ma’ruf Amin when receiving the President Commissioner of Tanjung Lesung SEZ Setyono Djuandi Darmono, at the Official Residence of the Vice President, Jalan Diponegoro Number 2, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (12/14/2022)
As an effort to realize this, its development needs to be accompanied by adequate infrastructure development, such as toll roads, airports, marinas, hotels, and so on. The Vice President also noted the need conveyed by pihak Tanjung Lesung SEZ for the construction of a marina to be accessed by tourist boats, as an alternative mode of transportation for foreign tourists.
“The marina must be a planning unit in order to accelerate the development of Banten,” he said.
For this reason, the Vice President will encourage the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) through PT Pelabuhan Indonesia to realize the marina infrastructure.
“I will talk to the Minister of BUMN first, that it is part of the development interest. At the very least, it should be reassured that it is important,” the Vice President added.
Similarly, with the Governor of Banten, the Vice President will also make a similar push, especially the Banten Provincial Government is currently designing various development acceleration programs in its region.
“Indeed, the Governor [of Banten] has accelerated development on various problems in Banten and has reported to me, including [land use] on the right and left of the toll road is also included as one of the programs,” said the Vice President.
Previously, Darmono explained, the development of Tanjung Lesung SEZ had been initiated since 31 years ago with its strategic advantage in the marina. However, the construction of this facility has not been followed up by the government. In fact, according to him, the marina is the main attraction for foreign tourists. Because, Jakarta—Tanjung Lesung must be taken within a 5 to 7-hour road trip when conditions are congested.
Once the marina was finished, we also built hotels. Plus the direction to Panimbang, this will be a lot of sodetan, to Malimping, to Pelabuhan Ratu, will cause economic growth to all regions from the south to also in south West Java which is very poor,” said Darmono.
Furthermore, he mentioned economic calculations, both from the government side and the people’s side. The marina will be developed in an area of 40 ha with 600 piers capable of accommodating ships with a capacity of 5,000 passengers.
“Marina should not be the mediocre, it must be the largest in Southeast Asia, because the Sunda Strait is Indonesia’s gateway to the whole of Indonesia,” Darmono suggested.
In addition, Darmono hopes that the construction of this marina can encourage regulatory improvements in Indonesia. He described, licensing for tourists from Singapore by boat to Indonesia takes 3 weeks, on the contrary, it is enough 1 hour from Indonesia to Singapore.
“This [the existence of the marina] will make us make regulatory improvements. So, this is important, not only for Banten actually, for Indonesia as well,” he explained.
In addition to the President Commissioner of Tanjung Lesung, the Chairman of the Paguyuban Urang Banten Taufiequrachman Ruki, Advisors Hassan Wirajuda and Abdul Wahid Maktub, Deputy President Commissioner of PT Jababeka Suhardi Alius, and President Director of Tanjung Lesung Poernomo Siswoprasetijo were also present.
