Media

Mamuju – The Provincial Executive Board (DPP) of the Indonesian Employers’ Association (APINDO) West Sulawesi has been officially inaugurated for the 2024–2029 term in a solemn ceremony held in Mamuju on Tuesday (Sept 16, 2025).

The inauguration was led by APINDO Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani, accompanied by the national executive board, including APINDO Deputy Chair Eddy Hussy, Head of Organizational Affairs Anthony Hilman, and APINDO Executive Director Rudolf Saut.

The ceremony featured the symbolic handover of the APINDO flag and the oath-taking of the new board, marking the formal transfer of leadership from the previous chairman, Andri Prayoga Putra Singkarru, to the newly elected chairman, H. Arman Salimin, M.Pd.

In her remarks, Shinta expressed her highest appreciation to the outgoing board for their contribution to the business community in West Sulawesi. She called on the new leadership to strengthen collaboration with the regional government and deliver solutions to workforce challenges.

“The biggest challenge in West Sulawesi is not only creating new jobs but also improving the quality of the workforce so they can transition from informal to more productive formal sectors. The DPP APINDO Sulbar is expected to be at the forefront of advocating for businesses while serving as a strategic partner to the government,” said Shinta.

She also highlighted key national employment data, noting that between 2022 and 2023, the demand for jobs reached 12.4 million, but only 4.5 million new jobs were created. Furthermore, only 26% of employers believe the workforce quality meets industry needs, and just 9% of workers are considered highly skilled — a figure still far behind Malaysia (25%) and Thailand (14%).

In West Sulawesi, the open unemployment rate (TPT) is relatively low at 3.02% (better than the national rate of 4.82%), but the share of informal workers remains high at 72–77%. “Most people still work without security. Our task is to help them move up to the formal sector, which is more productive and sustainable,” she added.

Shinta also underlined the region’s vast potential in agriculture, fisheries, energy, and minerals — including 318,000 tons of rice, 220,000 tons of corn, 241,000 tons of palm oil, 67,000 tons of cocoa, and 65,000 tons of captured fish annually. “This potential must be developed into value-added industries, so that West Sulawesi does not remain a raw material supplier but becomes a hub for agro-industry, fisheries, and tourism that creates quality jobs,” she emphasized.

West Sulawesi Governor Dr. H. Suhardi Duka, M.M., welcomed the APINDO national leadership and underscored the importance of government–business collaboration to accelerate economic growth.

“We have reduced poverty from 16.7% to 6.5% over the past decade and driven economic growth up to 12% at its peak. By involving all stakeholders, including the business sector, we can catch up with other provinces. The government will continue to be open, business-friendly, and provide certainty to attract investors,” said the Governor.

He also encouraged investment in fisheries through incentives such as tax holidays, as well as downstream processing in the food sector, including corn and palm kernel for animal feed. “This is a major opportunity for entrepreneurs to invest in West Sulawesi. I call on the new DPP APINDO leadership to maintain close coordination with the APINDO National Board in Jakarta so that this synergy continues,” he added.

The inauguration series also featured a collaborative dialogue on APINDO’s role and wage strategy with HR managers from major companies in West Sulawesi, presented by APINDO Executive Director Rudolf Saut, and concluded with a networking session between the APINDO National Board and the Governor as a show of strengthened public–private communication.

With the installation of the 2024–2029 DPP APINDO Sulbar board, the organization is expected to play a more active role in building an inclusive business ecosystem, enhancing regional competitiveness, and driving West Sulawesi’s economic transformation toward sustainable growth. (ed/st)