Jakarta, July 21, 2026 – Minister of Creative Economy / Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, received a courtesy visit from the Governor of North Kalimantan (Kaltara), Zainal A. Paliwang, to accelerate the development of the creative economy sector in Indonesia’s border region. The Minister emphasized that North Kalimantan has significant potential to emerge as a new center of creative economy growth in Indonesia.
Minister of Creative Economy / Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya (right), speaks with the Governor of North Kalimantan, Zainal A. Paliwang (left), during a courtesy meeting at the Ministry of Creative Economy Office in Jakarta on Tuesday (July 21, 2026).
“North Kalimantan has strong cultural roots. Regions with rich cultural heritage have tremendous opportunities. When those cultural roots are enhanced through innovation, technology, and creativity, the result is a creative economy that can become a new engine of regional economic growth,” said the Minister during the meeting at the Ministry of Creative Economy Office in Jakarta on Tuesday (July 21).
North Kalimantan possesses a wide range of promising creative economy potential. According to the Minister, collaboration among the central government, regional governments, businesses, academia, communities, the media, and financial institutions is essential to accelerating this potential.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
In the culinary subsector, North Kalimantan is focusing on downstream processing and product packaging for seaweed-derived products in Nunukan Regency and Tarakan City. The craft subsector is centered on utilizing rattan and bamboo to produce traditional woven products of the Dayak and Tidung communities in Malinau Regency and Tana Tidung Regency. Meanwhile, in the fashion subsector, the development of contemporary ethnic batik in Tarakan City continues to be promoted to reach national and export markets.
These acceleration efforts are strongly supported by the regulatory framework through North Kalimantan Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 5 of 2025 on Creative Economy Development. The regulation serves as a strategic pillar for the region’s economic transformation from an extractive-based economy to a creative economy, while also providing legal protection, financing support, and expanded market access for local creative economy players. This commitment is further reflected in the registration of 83 Intellectual Property (IP) assets from North Kalimantan as of 2024.
Governor Zainal A. Paliwang expressed his hope for stronger collaboration between the central and regional governments to accelerate the development of creative economy players in North Kalimantan, where 46 tourism villages are already actively operating.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
“North Kalimantan is blessed with extraordinary natural beauty and cultural richness. Therefore, we have made the advancement of a creative economy rooted in local wisdom one of our key priorities,” said Zainal A. Paliwang.
The meeting was also attended by Rahmawati, Member of Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI); Achmad Djufrie, Chair of the North Kalimantan Regional House of Representatives (DPRD); Muddain, Deputy Chair II of the North Kalimantan DPRD; Njau Anau, Head of the North Kalimantan Tourism Office; and representatives of the Nunukan Regency Government.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
The Minister was accompanied by Septriana Tangkary, Expert Staff for Marketing Systems and Infrastructure; Fahmy Akmal, Director of Infrastructure Facilitation; Aulia Chloridiany, Acting Director of Marketing System Development and Institutional Relations; Panji Purboyo, Expert Staff to the Minister; and officials from the Ministry of Creative Economy.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of the Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
