Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – President Joko Widodo emphasized that the lawsuit Indonesia is currently facing at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the ban on the export of raw nickel will not discourage the government from stopping the export of raw material mining.
This is because Indonesia has seen firsthand the benefits of this policy as felt by the jump in the value of nickel exports, the President said while giving a briefing at the Open Session of the 46th Anniversary of the Academic Senate of Sebelas Maret University in Surakarta, Central Java, Friday.
“But as soon as we say stop nickel, stop exporting nickel raw materials, yes, we are sued by the European Union, it has not been completed until now. It’s okay, this is not finished, I have ordered bauxite to stop this year, so that it will be sued again,” the President said in a statement. the event which was broadcast live on the official UNS YouTube channel.
“Stop the bauxite, next year the copper or tin will stop again, so that it will be sued again. It’s okay to continue being sued, we don’t necessarily lose, but we don’t necessarily win,” he added.
According to the President, the policy of stopping the export of raw material mining is a manifestation of the courage to transform the economy which will provide long-term benefits and opportunities for stability.
The President revealed that Indonesia previously only earned around Rp15-20 trillion in trade revenues when it was still exporting raw nickel. That figure jumped considerably to Rp300 trillion in 2021 after implementing a nickel export policy in semi-finished and finished forms.
“We have to have courage, if we never try, we will never know whether we win or lose, we are right or not,” he said.
“But this one is true. Stop (raw exports) is correct. We know because from Rp. 15 trillion, it jumped to Rp. 300 trillion,” said the President.
With the cessation of raw material mining exports, the President believes that Indonesia will also get many benefits, including an increase in the value of domestic investment, including capital flows from abroad.
The President also reminded again of the message he had conveyed when attending the G20 Conference in Italy in 2021 regarding the policy of stopping the export of raw material mining.
At that time, the President emphasized that Indonesia was not closed and was ready to carry out trade cooperation with other countries regarding raw mining materials, as long as there was a backflow in the form of industrial development in the country.
“It’s okay to cooperate with our BUMN, our private sector or they are alone, it’s also okay as long as it’s in Indonesia,” he said.
“It’s really nice that we deposit their raw materials… Taxes they get. Opening up employment opportunities for them. So what do we get? Isn’t it. We’re being scared all the time. We can’t sue at the WTO, don’t sue at the WTO. Sue,” close the President.
In addition to giving the briefing, the President also took the time to inaugurate the UNS Tower, Ki Hadjar Dewantara Building.
In a series of 46th Anniversary events, UNS also conveyed the Parasamsya Anugraha Dharma Bhakti Upa Baksana award to the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati for her contribution to equitable fiscal policy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. (mhn/bbs)
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