RI eyes Brunei investment in geothermal
The Jakarta Post | Fri, 03/04/2011 11:51 AM
Brunei Darussalam, a tiny but oil-rich sultanate, will gift two patrol vessels to the Indonesian Navy this year, and plans to enhance bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector, while Indonesia is wooing Brunei to invest in its geothermal energy and tourism sectors.
Brunei’s deputy defense minister Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa Haji Sirat announced during Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s visit to Brunei last month that his country would give two patrol vessels to Indonesia.
“KDB Waspada and KDB Pejuang, possibly in April, will be delivered to Indonesia to be used as training vessels for the Indonesian Navy,” Mustappa told The Brunei Times recently.
On Friday, Brunei citizens living in Indonesia will celebrate their National Day in Jakarta. Brunei’s National Day was on Feb. 23.
“We have moved our National Day celebration to March 4, 2011, due to the Indonesian President’s visit to Brunei,” Brunei Darussalam’s Ambassador to Indonesia Dato Paduka Mahmud H. Saidin told The Jakarta Post recently.
President Yudhoyono paid a state visit to Brunei from Feb. 24 to 25 to boost bilateral ties.
With a population of just 400,000 people, Brunei’s GDP per capita of US$50,300 is Asia’s highest. It produces around 150,000 barrels of oil per day, most of which is exported to Japan (38.4 percent) and Indonesia (26 percent in 2008).
In 2010, the bilateral trade increased to $727.14 million, a slight increase of 1.78 percent from $714.45 million.
In 2008, it was $2.47 billion, owing to Indonesia’s purchase of oil and gas products from Brunei.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalagewa, who had accompanied the President to Brunei, said Brunei could invest in geothermal energy as well as tourism in Lombok.
“We have certainly opened up for third-party investment in that area [geothermal energy],” Marty told The Brunei Times.
Indonesia is planning to offer $32 billion worth of projects, mainly in infrastructure, including power plants, in April. Indonesia has the world’s largest geothermal energy reserves.
