BALIKPAPAN, INDONESIA – Sarawak continues to reinforce its regional partnerships with Indonesia as Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan led a high-level delegation to a strategic dinner with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) in Balikpapan. The event, held from July 25 to 27, 2025, marked a key moment in deepening economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties between Sarawak and East Kalimantan.
The dinner, held at a prominent hotel in the city, was hosted as part of the Sarawak Connects Fair 2025 — a broader initiative to position Sarawak as a regional player in trade and investment. The gathering saw the participation of government officials, business leaders, and development stakeholders from both nations.
In a statement on Friday, the Sarawak government noted that this strategic engagement offers a significant platform to highlight the state’s growing capabilities in sectors ranging from infrastructure and energy to digital innovation and logistics. It also provides an avenue to explore potential joint ventures and mutually beneficial economic activities.
Sarawak’s presence in Balikpapan is part of its larger vision to align with the rapid development of Nusantara, Indonesia’s upcoming capital city, located just a few hours from Balikpapan. As East Kalimantan anticipates a surge in infrastructure demand, Sarawak companies are viewed as ready collaborators in the region’s transformation.
Datuk Amar Awang Tengah reiterated Sarawak’s commitment to fostering sustainable trade cooperation, while also nurturing people-to-people and cultural exchanges with neighbouring regions.
Also present at the event were his wife, Dato Dayang Morliah Awang Daud; Sarawak Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat; and Sarawak Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning and Development), Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel.
The gathering reinforced Sarawak’s strategic intent to remain an active partner in the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) region, with Balikpapan and East Kalimantan playing key roles in the emerging Indonesia-Malaysia economic corridor.
