“Arun Lhokseumawe has met the requirements to become a special economic zone. We will propose it to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo,” said Darmin after chairing a coordination meeting of economic ministers in Jakarta on Monday night as reported by tempo.co.

The consortium of several state-owned enterprises – energy company PT Pertamina, fertilizer company PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda and seaport operator PT Pelindo I, as well as companies owned by the Aceh administration – have expressed interest in investing in the area, he added.

(Read also: Ten companies to invest in KEK Palu)

President Jokowi would establish the 2,622-hectare economic zone through a government regulation. It is expected to create some 40,000 jobs.

Among the industries to be developed in the area include a plant for the regasification of liquified natural gas (LNG), an LNG trading hub, an LNG plant, environmentally friendly power plants, a petrochemical cluster and an agro-industry and its related products .

Darmin said the government would develop infrastructure, particularly an international-standard seaport, to support the development of industries in the area.

Darmin said the people at the meeting also discussed the development of other special economic zones, like those on Galang Batang Island, Bintan Island, Asam Island and Karimun Island, but Darmin added that the areas have not yet been proposed to the President because there were still several administrative problems to be solved. (bbn)

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