TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan stated that United States-based pharmaceutical companies will invest in a number of industries in Indonesia, particularly related to the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Luhut claimed he had lobbied Merck and Pfizer which had produced the COVID-19 oral drug, namely Paxlovid. “I spoke with Pfizer this morning, and with Merck four days ago. It turns out that they want to enter Indonesia,” he said in a webinar in Jakarta, Wednesday, November 17.

Pfizer, according to him, admitted that it has been thus far faced difficulties to invest in Indonesia. “Pak Budi (Health Minister) and I talked to them to invest here and we agreed a number of Pfizer technology will enter Indonesia.”

He also pinned hope that starting next year Pfizer will develop a number of industries domestically. “We hope there will be more industries from Pfizer in Indonesia next year,” he said.

Luhut has many times emphasized that the government is highly aggressive in encouraging drug and vaccine manufacturers to invest in the country. Luhut expected that Indonesia as a big country will not just be an importer of medicines but rather a producer.

Read: Today's Arrival of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine to Be Distributed to 8 Provinces

ANTARA