The state's duty lies there, in ensuring that the integration is carried out
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has ensured that the government integrates smelter and mineral industries, so that Indonesia has an opportunity to play a role in the global supply chain.

"We can integrate all smelters, all industries which are still scattered all over in our country, in the west, in the east, in the middle. The state's duty lies there, in ensuring that the integration is carried out," the president noted in West Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday.

Jokowi made the statement after reviewing the construction of PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara's smelter in that area, the progress of which has reached 51.62 percent.

"We do not just talk about West Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, but on a national scale, indeed, copper is in Sumbawa, in Papua, nickel in Sulawesi and some in North Maluku; tin in Bangka Belitung; and then bauxite in West Kalimantan, in Bintan, in Riau. What is difficult is smelters that have been established and then for the derivatives that have been produced to be integrated as an item," he explained.

The finished items in question are lithium batteries, batteries for electric vehicles, and other products, Jokowi elaborated.

He said that once those have been integrated, a large ecosystem of electric vehicles can be created that can boost Indonesia's status as a developed country.

The head of state is confident that once all smelters and industries have been integrated, Indonesia has the opportunity to contribute to the global supply chain.

"Because in future, everything will change. Old cars will be (replaced by) electric cars. This is Indonesia's opportunity to become a developed country, if we all can integrate all smelters, all industries," he emphasized.

The company's smelter took up a budget of US$982 million. Its development stagnated at some point due to COVID-19.

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Translator: Desca Lidya Natalia, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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