"During the meeting with President Joko Widodo, they discussed the possibility of a rocket launch pad in Biak," he stated on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday.
Pandjaitan remarked that Musk planned to launch 150 rockets a year.
Moreover, he noted that the Tesla CEO was exploring another potential in Biak, namely natural gas that is expected to be the energy supporting the investment offer.
Apart from that, the minister said President Widodo also offered investment related to lithium batteries and their derivatives.
"I think it is a very good step to cut the gap between Indonesia and the United States in the electric vehicles (EV) sector," he remarked.
He explained that the offer was in line with the US government's plan to increase electric vehicle production by up to 11 times by 2030.
“Without Indonesian nickel assistance, this could never be achieved. We want to collaborate," he stated.
The presence of the SpaceX CEO became the center of attention during the 10th World Water Forum.
Musk was invited as one of the speakers at the opening of the 10th World Water Forum.
He undertook a visit to Bali to also launch the use of his satellite internet service, namely Starlink, to help support community health centers in remote areas experiencing difficulties in internet networks.
“I was invited to the World Water Forum. Hence, this seems like the right time to officially announce the launch of Starlink as well," Musk told the media on May 19.
On May 19, Musk and Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin launched the trial of an internet service by Starlink at the Sumerta Kelod Community Health Center, Denpasar.
The provision of internet access at health centers could open up better access to health services and facilitate access to communication between regions, resulting in real-time case reporting from health service facilities.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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