Coordinating Minister For Maritime Affairs Says Elon Musk Will Come To Jakarta In September

Elon Musk (Photo; Space X's youtube screenshot)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said the founders of SpaceX and Tesla Inc, Elon Musk will come to Jakarta at the end of September or October 2023. It is likely to sign cooperation in several areas, including the production of lithium batteries.

"We hope that the Starlink process (Elon Musk's low-earth orbit satellite) used by the Ministry of Health in remote areas can be covered by our people in rural areas with good internet, maybe it will be signed," Luhut said quoting Antara, Monday, August 14.

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) is known to plan to use Elon Musk's low earth orbit (LEO) satellite service to distribute fast internet in a number of health services.

In addition to technology for health services, Luhut also said Elon would explore investment potential in Indonesia for the manufacture of lithium battery materials. The possibility of cooperation in the manufacture of lithium battery materials can be signed in Jakarta if the negotiation process can be completed in September 2023.

However, Luhut has not been able to disclose the estimated investment value that Elon will distribute through his company to Indonesia.

"We'll see, if Elon comes, it will be seen," he said.

According to Luhut, based on the latest developments, Tesla is delaying a number of investment realizations over the next 1.5 years around the world.

"Including those in Mexico, which they have committed, they have also been postponed because their current production of 3 million is 1.8 million. There are still 1.2 million that they still have to sell," said Luhut.

The delay in investment realization, said Luhut, was due to the uncertainty of the world economy, and the tension between the United States and China regarding Taiwan.

"They are careful about investment problems," he said.

After delaying investment in the next 1.5 years, said Luhut, Tesla stated its commitment to keep Indonesia as an investment priority.