Asean Business Forum 2025

BATAMSTRAITS.COM, BATAM – The Riau Islands Province (Kepri) Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Office (DKUM) held the Kepri ASEAN Business Forum with the theme "Empowering Local Entrepreneurs." The event was opened by the Head of the Kepri Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Office, Riki Rionaldi, on Monday (11/17/2025) at the 6th floor of Harmoni One Hotel. In his remarks, Riki emphasized the importance of collaboration between business actors, especially with guests and partners attending from abroad. "Here, we're no longer talking about competition. We're talking about building togetherness. Our strengths are diverse, and through this meeting, business owners can learn from each other and collaborate. Each booth has potential that can be learned and developed," he said. Riki also expressed his appreciation to the Ministry and the activity facilitator, Lidya Ariyantiny, who provided assistance in the inaugural forum. This activity was attended by around 400 MSMEs, of which 60 MSMEs have been included in the Red and White Business mentoring program consisting of 40 MSMEs from Batam and 20 MSMEs from Tanjungpinang and its surroundings. Of these, 8 selected MSMEs were assessed as having strong chemistry and potential for collaboration with the companies participating in the forum. Overall, the Riau Islands DKUM recorded that there are approximately 2,000 MSMEs in the province that have been categorized based on their development level, moving towards sustainable MSMEs and upgrading. All of them are directed to join the Red and White Cooperative as a capacity building platform. "This program hasn't even been running for a year. Our target is not just the Riau Islands but also internationally. Riau Islands has an advantage because it borders Singapore and Malaysia. Therefore, we're partnering with MSMEs that have chemistry and a vested interest in collaborating," said Riki. He emphasized that this activity was not merely a ceremony, but aimed to produce concrete cooperation that could provide real benefits for local MSMEs. The forum was attended by 15 companies from five countries, totaling approximately 40 people. These included representatives from Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, Taiwan, and Myanmar. Participants were welcomed at a gala dinner the previous evening. "After three months of mentoring, MSMEs should be more confident. Capacity and quantity don't mean they lack significant opportunities. We have advantages and uniqueness that other countries don't have. We are committed to pursuing the opportunities created by this business meeting. If we collaborate, we can grow professionally," he said. (uly)