"Should development of electric vehicles be pursued, then gas fuel subsidy, which is valued at hundreds of trillions of rupiah, can be allocated for other programs, such as for the development of human resources," Chief of the Presidential Staff Office, Moeldoko, remarked.
Moeldoko made the remarks during a seminar on the Periklindo Electric Vehicle Show (PEVS) 2022, a vehicle exhibition hosted in JIExpo Kemayoran in Jakarta on Monday, July 25, 2022, as quoted from a press release received on Tuesday.
He highlighted that the government's commitment to meeting that goal was apparent from its initiative to issue Presidential Regulation Number 55 of 2019 on the development of battery-based electric vehicles.
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Currently, the government was also making preparations for other matters to facilitate the process of transition and conversion of conventional vehicles to electric vehicles, he remarked.
"Right now, a presidential instruction is being prepared for transition and conversion of conventional vehicles to electric vehicles for the governmental scope. The Transportation Ministry is preparing the prototype," he noted.
Moeldoko also drew attention to several concerns from prospective users about electric vehicles, such as them being unsafe, expensive, and difficult to recharge.
Such things were normal, given the fact that the public was accustomed to the ease offered by conventional vehicles, he pointed out.
"Indeed, it is not easy to change that habit. This is one of the challenges that needs to be addressed. The PEVS 2022 Exhibition is one of the ways to show that electric vehicles are not difficult to use," he concluded.
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Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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