The ceremony for the handover of the electric buses took place on UGM's Pancasila Field, Yogyakarta, and was attended by UGM Rector Ova Emilia and the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, who is also chair of the Gadjah Mada Alumni Association (Kagama).
The minister, in an official written statement received here on Tuesday, emphasized that the provision of the electric buses to the university was in line with the Indonesian government's policy of developing the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in the country.
"This is a form of active participation in developing the EV ecosystem, and indeed, the Ministry of Investment is currently intensifying the development of investment in electric cars and electric car batteries," he added.
Meanwhile, UGM Rector Ova Emilia said that the university will design a plan to implement electric vehicle transportation in the campus area as an effort to reduce carbon emissions.
"One of the missions of (UGM's) current rectorate administration is that we want to make efforts for carbon emission reduction, especially on campus. Thus, we will create a plan that the transport is using electric cars or buses," she informed.
The rector added that UGM is committed to protecting nature in the campus environment, which has become a conservation space for some of the tallest trees in Yogyakarta as well as several birds that nest in those trees.
So far, Minister Lahadalia has provided electric buses to universities twice. He handed over an electric bus to the University of Indonesia last March.
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Translator: Farhan Arda, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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