APINDO North Maluku Board Inaugurated, Governor Sherly Tjoanda Calls for Tangible Economic Impact
Sunday, 25 October 2026
TERNATE, October 25, 2026 — North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda Laos has called on the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) North Maluku to deliver tangible benefits to the regional economy, not only by attracting investment but also by strengthening local businesses, developing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and creating employment opportunities for local communities.
The call was made during the inauguration of the APINDO North Maluku Provincial Leadership Council (DPP APINDO Maluku Utara) for the 2026–2031 term, held at the Kieraha Ballroom, Muara Hotel, Ternate, on Sunday (October 25, 2026). The board was inaugurated by APINDO National Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani, with Gajali Abdul Mutalib re-elected to lead the provincial organization for the next five years.
“North Maluku has significant economic potential across a range of sectors, including manufacturing and downstream processing, mining, plantations, fisheries and marine resources, and tourism. The challenge is to ensure that economic growth and investment also expand business opportunities and improve public welfare,” Sherly said.
In line with this agenda, Sherly added, APINDO is expected to strengthen its role as a strategic partner to the regional government by fostering a conducive business climate, promoting investment certainty, expanding partnerships with local entrepreneurs, and improving human resource quality.
APINDO National Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani emphasized that the inauguration was more than an organizational ceremony; it was an opportunity to strengthen collaboration among the government, the business community, and workers to advance regional economic development.
According to Shinta, North Maluku has significant opportunities to develop leading sectors beyond mining, particularly the blue economy, plantations, and tourism. Developing these sectors will require investment, greater value addition, stronger local supply chains, and increased participation by regional businesses.
APINDO is also promoting three concrete priorities in North Maluku: developing the blue economy, strengthening MSME capacity to help businesses grow and become more competitive, and enhancing human resources and entrepreneurship through training and business mentoring.
APINDO North Maluku Chairperson Gajali Abdul Mutalib said that over the past five years, the organization had remained committed to serving as a strong bridge between businesses, workers, and the government. He noted that APINDO had continued to promote harmonious, dynamic, and equitable industrial relations, address critical business and labor issues, and facilitate partnerships between MSMEs and large industrial companies.
“Certainly, there are still aspirations and expectations that we must continue to pursue. However, what we have achieved together is the result of organizational solidarity, hard work, and the synergy of the entire provincial and district-level leadership, along with the active participation of business members across North Maluku,” Gajali said.
As part of efforts to strengthen collaboration, the inauguration ceremony also featured the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between APINDO North Maluku and Khairun University (UNKHAIR). Additional cooperation initiatives focused on developing blue economy-based MSMEs and strengthening leadership capacity among stakeholders within the North Maluku Provincial Government.
These partnerships are expected to create broader opportunities for collaboration among the business community, universities, and the government to improve human resource competencies and unlock the potential of the local economy.
Also in attendance were APINDO National Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani; Deputy Chairpersons Eddy Hussy and Sanny Iskandar; Organization Affairs Chair Anthony Hilman; MSME and Cooperatives Affairs Chair Ronald Walla; Fisheries Affairs Chair Hendra Sugandhi; Infrastructure Affairs Chair Denon Prawiraatmadja; Deputy Secretary-General Aditya Warman; and APINDO Executive Director Rudolf Saut.
Other attendees included East Java APINDO Chairperson Eddy Widjanarko, Maluku APINDO Chairperson Robert Tanamal, and representatives from the business community and strategic partners, including Roy Arman of Harita, Mursalim, a seaweed investor from Makassar, trainer Tutut Handayani, and Elim Sritaba, a member of APINDO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) team.
