“The two locations are prepared to become the Silicon Valley of Indonesia,” said the assistant to the Yogyakarta regional secretary for development affairs, Budi Wibowo, in Yogyakarta on Wednesday as reported by Antara news agency.

He said the areas would be converted into an industrial estate that would become the center of fashion, culinary arts, handicrafts, animation and games as well as other creative businesses. “There will be no large manufacturing factories,” he added.

The two areas – 335 hectares in Bantul and 50 hectares in Kulon Progo – have long been the subject of the development plan.

Budi said the provincial and local administration would cooperate with any investors seeking to do business in the two areas, the development of which would be kicked off by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on March 12.

Furthermore, he said the provincial administration had coordinated with the Bantul and Kulon Progo administrations over the business license issuance plan to ensure a quick and smooth investment process.

He said the tenants of the digital valley would be small and medium enterprises (SMEs) focused on creative businesses. “We have 524,395 SMEs that dominate economic growth in Yogyakarta,” he added. (bbn)