Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia), in collaboration with Singapore International Water Week 2026, held a Water Dialogue themed “Water as National Strategic Infrastructure: Supporting Indonesia’s Economic and Industrial Resilience” as part of the Road to SIWW 2026 series at Kadin Indonesia Tower on Tuesday (19/05/2026).

Vice Chairman for Iron and Steel Downstream Development at Kadin Indonesia, Akbar Djohan, stated that strengthening regional collaboration is essential to ensuring sustainable economic growth and the future resilience of Southeast Asia.

“With increasing focus on food, energy, and water self-sufficiency, strengthening water and sanitation infrastructure has become a key priority for both the government and the private sector. Today, water is no longer viewed merely as a basic necessity, but as an essential component of industrial resilience, energy security, and national economic sustainability,” said Akbar.

Akbar added that current national development policies increasingly position water as part of the clean and renewable energy ecosystem in support of Indonesia Emas 2045.

“Therefore, synergy among the government, business sector, associations, and international partners is becoming increasingly crucial. The collaboration between Kadin Indonesia and SIWW 2026 is expected to make a tangible contribution toward strengthening Indonesia’s national water infrastructure, improving access to clean water and sanitation, and enhancing the global competitiveness of Indonesia’s industries,” he added.

Meanwhile, Internal Compliance Director at Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works, Muhammad Rizal, who attended on behalf of Director General of Water Resources at the Ministry of Public Works, Arnold Aristoteles Paplapna Ritiauw, emphasized that the national water resources management policy is directed toward four main priorities.

“First, integrated river basin management; second, strengthening water resilience; third, optimizing water resource utilization through improved water services for communities, agriculture, industry, and the environment; and fourth, conservation through the protection of water catchment areas and mitigation of water-related hazards,” Rizal stated.

In addition, Rizal noted that the government continues to encourage the transformation of water management through digitalization, more accurate hydrological data utilization, and the implementation of smart water management technologies.

“This transformation is important to support the overall efficiency of water infrastructure management,” he said.

At the same time, CEO & Managing Director of MMI Asia Ltd, Michael Wilton, emphasized that regional cooperation and cross-sector collaboration are key factors in addressing water and climate challenges across Asia.

“The collaboration between Kadin Indonesia and Singapore International Water Week 2026 is a strategic step toward strengthening regional cooperation in water, sustainability, and urban development. Through the SIWW platform, global leaders, experts, industry players, and policymakers can share solutions and innovations to address increasingly complex water and climate challenges,” Michael concluded.

The forum served as a strategic platform bringing together the government, business sector, associations, investors, academics, and international partners to discuss the importance of strengthening the water sector in supporting Indonesia’s economic resilience, industrial development, and sustainable growth.

Amid increasingly dynamic global conditions, water issues are no longer viewed solely as environmental concerns, but have become part of a broader strategic agenda closely linked to economic stability, industrial resilience, food security, energy transition, and national resilience.

As the fourth most populous country in the world and one of Southeast Asia’s major economic powers, Indonesia faces significant challenges related to clean water access, sanitation, water resource management, and infrastructure resilience amid rapid industrial growth and urbanization.

The event continued with a panel discussion attended by former Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore for the 2020–2025 period, Suryopratomo; Vice Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Infrastructure, Digitalization, and Downstream Technology at Kadin Indonesia, Muhammad Willy; Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Environment and Waste Management at Kadin Indonesia, Roosdinal Salim; Chairman of the Indonesian Water Association (IdWA), Agus Umar Yasin; and moderated by Chairwoman of the Permanent Committee on Human Resource Development and Certification at Kadin Indonesia, Juliana Sofhia Damu.