Jokowi's Message To The Next President: Don't Stop Downstreaming, Our Big Loss

Capture the screen/President Joko Widodo at the Opening of the XVIII National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association in 2023

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo advised the next president to be elected for the 2024-2029 period not to stop downstreaming industries currently being run by the government.

This message was conveyed by President Jokowi at the Opening of the XVIII National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association in 2023 in Tangerang Regency, Banten, Thursday, August 31.

"Although the European Union, WTO, and IMF are pressured, don't back down and don't stop. And later I will also order the next president to come, don't stop his name from downstreaming, because of our big loss," Jokowi said as quoted by ANTARA.

President Jokowi asked the downstream industry by stopping exports of raw materials to continue even though Indonesia lost to the lawsuit filed by the European Union through the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In addition to the WTO, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also asked the government to consider removing nickel export ban policies and not extending to other commodities.

Based on calculations from the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, downstreaming will provide Indonesia's per capita income of 10,500 US dollars in 10 years, then to 15,800 US dollars in the next 15 years.

On the other hand, if downstreaming is stopped, Indonesia will lose around 25.000 US dollars per capita in 2045 or during Golden Indonesia.

This is because downstream is not only limited to mining commodities such as nickel and copper, but also in food commodities, such as seaweed and palm oil products.

President Jokowi detailed that Indonesia is the largest country for seaweed exporters, but so far these commodities have been exported in the form of raw materials.

Likewise, palm oil (CPO) which produces 46 million tons per year, Jokowi asked the industry to process it into finished goods. Downstream aims not only to increase state revenue, but also to open wider job opportunities.

"In Indonesia Gold 2045, approximately 25,000 USD 'income' per capita will appear. This is the goal, our goal, not only the big vision but we must have a tactical vision," said the President.