Roundup: China's Bestwa, top Indonesian universities ink deal on waste management research

Four world-class Indonesian universities on Thursday signed an agreement with China's Zhejiang Bestwa EnviTech group to seek waste-based solutions for water scarcity and renewable source of energy.

Representatives from University of Indonesia, University of Gadjah Mada, University of Dipenogoro, and Bandung Institute of Technology took part an in-depth discussion with executives from the Chinese environmental protection company in Jakarta about efforts to develop infrastructures that provide clean water supply and energy from the use of water and liquid wastes.

Daniel Porzel-Fang, assistant to CEO of Shenzhen Fountain which is a subsidiary of the publicly-listed Bestwa, told Xinhua that partnering with Indonesian universities meant understanding better the core needs of local communities across the archipelago.

"We take a very long-term view to see what does it mean to develop infrastructure and operate infrastructure in Indonesia and it's very clear to us that it'd be difficult for us to do it without the universities," he said in an interview, noting that Bestwa has a long history of partnering with academias in China.

According to Porzel-Fang, his company's goal in Indonesia, which is Bestwa's first foray into international business, is to bring in realized infrastructural development on water and liquid waste management that they have done in China to Indonesia with improvements based on the latter's needs and conditions.

"We're working with universities because these infrastructure development projects will have to be built by the majority of Indonesian nationals and managed by them because Indonesian people know best of Indonesia," he said.

Bestwa, through Fountain, is currently doing feasibility studies for a project in Denpasar, Bali Province to help provide local communities clean water supply through low-cost, advanced technology. The project is awaiting the government's approval.

The initiative was well-received by the four universities as they noted that knowledge-based cooperation between Indonesia and China had plenty opportunities for escalation, especially in regards with waste-based solutions for water shortage and renewable energy source.

PENTA-HELIX PARTNERSHIP

Dwikorita Karnawati, dean of Gadjah Mada University, suggested a so-called "penta-helix partnership" concept in which academias, businesses, communities, governments, and philanthropists are putting efforts to resolve the issues of waste management.

"Developing a sustainable solution must then put local society or community in the center of this partnership," she said in her keynote speech.

Fountain's Porzel-Fang echoed her views saying that his company aimed to engage in an inclusive concept in which they could also address some of the most pressing issues currently faced in Indonesia, aside from building and engineering infrastructure.

"To have an inclusive solution for these issues is to have the penta-helix concept to include the people and have their voices heard to help them get out of the vicious cycle of poverty," said Porzel-Fang.

Agus Jatnika Effendi, an expert of solid waste management and air quality control from the Bandung Institute of Technology, suggested that the partnership be extended beyond technology transfer between the institutions, but also to establishing joint research.

Porzel-Fang said he could definitely see joint research and research exchange happening within the next few months or years as he guaranteed that his company would be doing many projects in Indonesia.

"We can't import our human resources, so we have to rely on Indonesian resources and it's important for the country as well that Indonesian workers and scientists and experts are helping to construct these projects and operate these projects and to make them better," said Porzel-Fang.

Wisnu Pradoto, deputy dean for research and technology from the University of Dipenogoro, hoped Bestwa would expand its partnership with other universities across Indonesia as they also have adequate resources to contribute in water management.

"Hopefully there would be follow-up discussions on the application of these ideas, and even creating a clear and measurable roadmap," said Wisnu. Endit