Batam – Timor Leste's former prime minister Mari Alkatiri, who is now the country's economic attache, visited the Batam Free Trade Zone Management Agency (BPK FTZ) on Monday to study the concept of the special economic zone.

Mari was greeted by BPK FTZ head Mustofa Wijaya and former Riau Islands governor and economic consultant Ismeth Abdullah.

Mari said Timor Leste intended to establish a similar zone, adding that he also had come to see the social and economic impact of the zone for the region and the country.

Meanwhile, Mustofa said that the Timor Leste delegation would also visit a number of industrial areas in Batam and take a look at some failed projects on the island.

"They want to know about the project failures so they can also learn from these cases," said Mustofa.