When we stopped coal (exports back) in January, there were five presidents, prime minister, who called me, (saying) 'President Jokowi, please send the coal as soon as possible, as soon as you can, otherwise we (will be in a bind). Our electricity wilJakarta (ANTARA) - Five heads of government contacted Indonesia in January this year to request coal exports, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said.
"When we stopped coal (exports back) in January, there were five presidents, prime minister, who called me, (saying) 'President Jokowi, please send the coal as soon as possible, as soon as you can, otherwise we (will be in a bind). Our electricity will go out, our industry will die,’" he remarked in Lenteng Agung, here on Tuesday.
He delivered the statement during the opening of the second 2021 National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP).
The government banned coal exports from January 1 to January 31, 2022, a policy that was protested by some importing countries, such as Japan and South Korea.
"We know where our strength lies. That time, we stopped exporting cooking oil for domestic needs first, coal also for domestic needs first. There were two presidents and prime ministers who called me too, (saying) 'Sir, if, within two days, you don't send (cooking oil), (there) will be socio-political turmoil in my country. Please send them,’" Widodo recalled.
His administration also banned the exports of crude palm oil (CPO) and some of its derivative products from April 28 to May 24, 2022.
"I checked, there is a stock of about 3 million tons, then the request was 200 thousand tons. Very well, they were sent, 120 thousand tons has been sent," he said.
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Judging by the reactions of the heads of governments, Indonesia has a great bargaining position in terms of coal, CPO, nickel, and other natural resources, he said.
"But we can't continue exports of raw materials; that must be stopped. We have to (be assertive) in ceasing exports of raw materials, and then we make finished goods there is industrialization, downstreaming there. That's our actual, great strength; so there is domestic added value, there are job opportunities in the country," he added.
There will also be additional income from income taxes, value-added taxes, and export duties, among others.
"That's what I often calculate and (this) is also calculated by international institutions; that if we (generate) more than 11 thousand US dollars of income per capita, hopefully, we can get there by 2030, meaning that the (the possibility is there)," he said.
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The President further said that to increase income per capita, aspects such as proper infrastructure, human resource development, and the downstreaming of domestic industries will need attention.
"It must go that way: forward, and we now have that capability. We have tried to stop nickel (exports), this year we will stop bauxite (exports). Everything is done domestically, and our calculations are in 2045, if there is consistency in leadership with the courage to stop export until that year, God willing, we will be at US$21 thousand–27 thousand in our per capita income. We will be in a position of a developed country, but the challenge is once again not easy, especially (in terms of) human resource development," he added.
The National Working Meeting is being hosted at the Party School of the Central Leadership Council (DPP) Lenteng Agung, here and will conclude on June 23. The meeting is being conducted as part of internal consolidation for the 2024 General Election.
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Tuesday’s meeting was attended by Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly; Minister of Public Works and Public Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono; Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati; Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Arifin Tasrif; Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, John Wempi Wetipo; Head of the State Intelligence Agency, Budi Gunawan; Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo; Head of the National Family Planning Agency, Hasto Wardoyo; and other officials. (INE)
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Translator: Desca L N, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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