Jakarta. The Commission VI of the House of Representatives has approved the 2025 budget plans for BP Batam, the city’s development agency, earlier this week.

The House had given its nod that BP Batam would get to spend up to around Rp 1.99 trillion (approximately $129.3 million) for the year 2025. 

According to BP Batam’s head Muhammad Rudi, the agency’s budget mainly comes from non-tax revenue of public service agencies (99.27 percent); foreign loans (0.44 percent), pure rupiah companion to foreign loans (0.29 percent). About 45.59 percent of the spending will go into management support programs, including operational activities such as employee management, maintenance, services, public relations, to name a few. 

Some 54.51 percent of the money will go to supporting the development of strategic areas. This includes facilitating the licensing for investors, logistics, as well as priority programs such as the establishment of facilities meant to meet the region’s infrastructure needs. BP Batam will also use the money to develop a number of services, including those related to port, clean water procurement, and hospitals. They will also set aside a portion of the money to attract investors and support the national strategic project of the Rempang Eco-City by building housing and settlements.

“We will focus on making the Batam-Rempang-Galang area a more modern economic zone that can compete [with others],” Rudi was quoted as saying in a press statement.

Next year, Batam also seeks to boost investments through regional and infrastructure development. This aligns with the government’s plans of expediting inclusive and sustainable economic growth next year. BP Batam will also give its support to the government in carrying on the domestic processing policies, among others. The agency will also help the government in developing resource-based industries to bring added value for the country.