Jokowi Receives Many Complaints for Stopping Coal Exports

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -  President Joko Widodo stated that many countries depend on Indonesia's natural resources. This condition is reflected when he received protests from many countries when Indonesia stopped its coal exports.

"As soon as our coal export stops for only two weeks, I begin to receive many calls. Heads of state, prime ministers, and presidents. Oh, it depends [on Indonesia], it depends, depends, depends, so many, I'm quite surprised," said Jokowi in his remarks at the 2022 Kompas100 CEO Forum at the State Palace, Jakarta on Friday, December 2, 2022, quoted by Antara.

Indonesia once closed its coal export for a month from January 1 to January 31, 2022. This policy was taken because many companies did not fulfill the domestic market obligation (DMO).

Apart from coal, many countries depend on Indonesia for their palm oil (CPO). According to Jokowi, when Indonesia temporarily stopped exporting CPO, many sides began to question it, including the IMF and the World Bank.

The decision was made when CPO prices skyrocketed. Entrepreneurs choose to export CPO so that domestic cooking oil prices are significantly raised.

"Why stop? Well of course I have to consider my people first. I can't give it to you and then suffer as we don't have oil. If that happens, I'll stop. Many say it's wrong, it's up to you, and it doesn't matter if people have different opinions. But I prioritize my people first," said Jokowi.

From these various experiences, Jokowi expressed that Indonesia had a strong position in the trade route. That strength, he said, should be used to build a grand strategy for doing business and developing the economy.

Jokowi wants Indonesia to Follow the Example of Taiwan and South Korea

On the other hand, Jokowi wants Indonesia to not only become a branch in terms of investment and import destination countries. Indonesia, according to him, must be able to design an economic ecosystem so that other countries can depend on the products of the country.

The President afterward requested all parties to follow the example of Taiwan and South Korea which were able to focus on making products that made other countries dependent. "I gave Taiwan as an example of how they can leap further. The example is only one, they make chips. Focus, strategic, and competitive. And everything begins to depend on this product. This example focuses on one product, not mentioning the other," he said.

South Korea also shares the same example in creating digital components that made several big companies in the United States depend on it. 

Jokowi emphasized that Indonesia should also be like Taiwan and South Korea because it has large potential reserves of nickel, copper, bauxite, and tin. He gave an example that Indonesia can produce electric vehicle batteries and make other countries dependent.

This is what we need to catch. As soon as it can be done, I'll calculate, how much? 60 percent of electric cars, and electric vehicles will depend on our EV Battery. 60 percent of the market share in the world. This is our great strength in a later time," said Jokowi.

ANTARA l IMAJI LASAHIDO

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo in Google News