Eyewitness News – DENPASAR
The Indonesian Cyber Media Association (SMSI) has initiated a strategic move to propel Indonesia into an international financial hub through a Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Themed “Capitalizing Global Liquidity for Accelerated Infrastructure and Sustainable National Development,” the forum was held at the Regional Representative Council (DPD) Office of Bali Province on Friday (July 10, 2026).
The event also coincided with the inauguration and induction of the Jaksa Garda Desa (Jaga Desa) Working Group. This collaborative program between the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration aims to assist, escort, and supervise Village Fund management to ensure greater transparency, accountability, and freedom from corrupt practices.
The FGD was officially opened by the Regent of Tabanan, Dr. I Komang Gede Sanjaya, and attended by board members of central SMSI, Bali provincial SMSI, as well as members of the press from various regions across Bali.
In his remarks, Sanjaya expressed his appreciation for SMSI’s confidence in selecting Bali as the inaugural location for the Indonesian International Financial Center (IIFC) FGD. He emphasized that Indonesia possesses vast resources, making it highly eligible to become a global financial hub.
”Compared to other nations, Indonesia is an incredibly wealthy country. Yet, why is Singapore the world’s financial center? This is intriguing. We—specifically the people and government of Bali—should be at the forefront of turning Bali into a global financial hub,” Sanjaya stated.
The General Chairman of central SMSI, Firdaus, explained that Bali was chosen as the starting point for the IIFC discourse due to its strategic position as Indonesia’s primary showcase to the world.
“We chose Bali as the first venue to discuss the Indonesian International Financial Center because Bali is Indonesia’s storefront. When people around the world think of Indonesia, the first place they mention is Bali,” he said.
Firdaus noted that while the world’s financial centers have long been synonymous with countries like Switzerland and Singapore, the IIFC concept aims to establish an international financial hub within Indonesia to bolster the national economy.
“For the longest time, Switzerland and Singapore have always been the world’s money centers. Now, we want Indonesia, particularly Bali, to host a city that serves as an international financial center,” he added.
According to him, the future establishment of the IIFC will not only strengthen the financial sector but also accelerate infrastructure development, elevate public welfare, and support the preservation of Balinese culture.
“We hope this program will yield substantial benefits for the people of Bali, both in infrastructure development and in supporting the preservation of Balinese culture,” Firdaus added.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of SMSI Bali, Emanuel Dewata Oja, clarified that the FGD is a flagship program of the central board, with Bali being trusted as the inaugural host.
”This program is entirely an initiative of the central management. Personally, I was unaware of why Bali was chosen as the first location. We in Bali are simply acting as the organizers and hosts,” said the man affectionately known as Edo.
Through this forum, SMSI aims to gather diverse insights from academics, practitioners, industry players, and stakeholders. These contributions will serve as the foundation for drafting the IIFC concept to accelerate sustainable national development.
The SMSI-led IIFC FGD received support from Bank BPD Bali alongside several other banking institutions. Present as keynote speakers were the Expert Board of PHRI Bali, Trisno Nugroho, and the Member of the Bali Governor’s Working Group for Banking and Economy, Dr. Agus Syabarrudin. The discussion was moderated by the Vice General Chairman of central SMSI, Yono Hartono.
Also in attendance were board members of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Bali, the Chairman of the Cyber Media Network Indonesia (JMSI), the Association of Indonesian Cyber Media (AMSI) Bali, the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) Bali, chairpersons of regency/city SMSI chapters across Bali, and journalists from Pena NTT.
The FGD concluded successfully with support from the DPD RI Bali Representative, the Tabanan Regency Government, Bank BPD Bali, and other banking partners.
Reporter: Daniel Herry
