The Tabanan Regency Government in Bali is poised to supply food to East Halmahera, Maluku, through a government-to-government (G2G) collaboration. This food supply initiative will be implemented via the regional companies of both regencies—Perumda Dharma Santhika from Tabanan and Perusda Perdana Cipta Mandiri from East Halmahera. The two regional enterprises signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Tabanan Regent’s Office on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. The signing was attended by Tabanan Regent I Komang Gede Sanjaya, the regional secretary, and relevant officials. Present at the event were also East Halmahera Regent Ubaid Yakub, the local DPRD chairman, and the managing director of Perusda Perdana Cipta Mandiri, along with their teams.
“Tabanan Regency, a significant food production hub for rice, eggs, chicken, and meat, is well-prepared to meet national food needs. With East Halmahera currently developing a large-scale industry that will create numerous job opportunities, the demand for food in the region is substantial,” Sanjaya explained.
Sanajaya added that Perumda Dharma Santhika has extensive experience in supplying agricultural products to various regions across Indonesia. He expressed hope that the partnership between Perumda Dharma Santhika and Perusda Perdana Cipta Mandiri can be further strengthened in the future. Additionally, Sanjaya believes that this MoU marks the beginning of a closer relationship between the two regions, connecting the eastern and central parts of Indonesia. Both parties are optimistic about mutually reinforcing efforts to boost local and national economic growth, particularly through the food sector and strategic industries.
Meanwhile, Ubaid Yakub highlighted that their visit was not solely focused on signing the MoU but also serves as a learning opportunity from the success of Tabanan’s regional-owned enterprises (BUMD). According to Yakub, the construction of Southeast Asia’s largest nickel downstream processing plant in East Halmahera requires substantial logistical support. Consequently, East Halmahera’s limited agricultural capacity—only about 5,000 hectares of rice fields—cannot meet the industrial logistics demands, prompting the need for supplies from other regions. “In contrast, Tabanan boasts 19,000 hectares of rice fields. Therefore, this collaboration is crucial for us,” Yakub elaborated.
