“We want to utilize our natural resources for the sake of our economic growth. Our natural resources will eventually run out and become limited for the growth of other countries,” Thohir stated during his speech at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang, monitored virtually on Saturday.
Moreover, Thohir noted that the Indonesian market should not be used for the growth of other nations but rather for its own economic growth by working together to create an ecosystem without sectoral ego.
“According to President Joko Widodo’s instructions to downstream natural resources, if we only export raw materials, it will be the same as that during the Dutch (colonial) era," Thohir affirmed.
The colonizers came to Indonesia only to gets their hands on its natural resources, such as nutmeg and tobacco, without processing them in the country. It did not create employment opportunities in Indonesia and did not create ecosystems from upstream to downstream.
"That is what we are now pushing for in our ministry and other SOEs. We will become the driving force of this movement," he added.
Earlier, Thohir invited all parties to maintain and ensure that the Indonesian market was only for its own national economic growth rather than that of other countries.
He emphasized that Indonesia is not anti-foreign, but it must prioritize its market for its own economic growth first.
Thohir later emphasized that all elements should protect the Indonesian market since it is expensive and valuable. Indonesia has a huge market and large selling value that must be optimized for the next generations of this country.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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