"With innovations, quality human resources, and mastery of technology, we can be released from the curse of natural resources. Indeed, our country is rich in bauxite, coal, palm oil, fish, and many more. But if we downstreaming our industry, I am sure, we can jump (higher)," the president stated.
By carrying out downstreaming of products of science and technology, as well as creating innovations in the industrial sector, Indonesia can jump to a higher level and achieve economic independence.
President Jokowi said the Indonesian people had made various leaps towards their national independence, but still needed to increase efforts to achieve even greater progress.
The leap of progress, he referred to, among others, is the development of the bauxite processing industry that has been carried out to reduce the import of alumina, as well as the downstream of the coal industry into dimethyl ether (DME) to reduce the import of millions of tons of LPG each year.
The government has also downstreamed the nickel industry into ferronickel to increase the added value of Indonesian nickel up to fourfold.
At present, Indonesia has started with the B20 vehicle fuel program (diesel fuel with a 20 percent biodiesel mixture) and will enter B30 (diesel fuel with a 30 percent biodiesel mixture), Jokowi said.
According to him, the Indonesian people can continue their endeavors to achieve progress towards the use of B100 and produce their own aviation fuel so the country will no longer have to import.
"But we can do more than that, we can export aviation fuel, we also want to produce aviation fuel made from oil," he said.
Indonesia has also started to develop electric cars in an attempt to build its own electric car industry.
President Jokowi encouraged all Indonesians to master science and technology, and to continue to create various innovations and breakthroughs to further develop the country.
Translator: Yashinta Difa Pramudyani
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
