Jokowi: 2024 Leaders Determine Indonesia To Jump To Become A Developed Country

Capture the screenshot of President Jokowi delivering his remarks on the "ground breaking" of the PT Hailiang Nova Material Indonesia/ANTARA copper foil factory construction project.

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo emphasized that the election of leaders in 2024 will determine Indonesia's opportunity to jump into a developed country. "For community leaders, religious leaders, kiai we love. I have often said, future leaders are very decisive. (General Election) 2024, 2029, 2034 is very decisive. Once we choose, this country will God willing, it will jump into a developed country," said President Jokowi in Gresik, East Java, Antara, Tuesday, June 20. President Jokowi conveyed this during the groundbreaking project for the construction of the PT Hailiang Nova Material Indonesia copper foil factory in the Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate (JIIPE) Industrial Estate. "If I'm wrong, it's like countries in Latin America, in the 1960s, the 1970s have become developing countries but until now it's still a developing country and we don't want to be like that, we want our country to become a developed country," said the President. According to the President, the construction of the PT Hailiang Nova Material Indonesia copper foil plant is targeted for completion in the next year. "Hopefully, before 12 months this factory will be completed and can produce so that it can absorb labor, provide job opportunities for people in East Java province, especially in Gresik district and we hope this can also provide encouragement so that our country can become a developed country," added the President. President Jokowi said the copper foil factory that PT Hailiang was working on would process copper products from PT Freeport Indonesia. "So that it becomes finished or semi-finished goods which we will use later for lithium batteries or electric car batteries or electric cars themselves," said the President. Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said the copper foil factory was the first in Indonesia. "With the largest capacity in Southeast Asia. We managed to beat Vietnam, Mexico, the United States and Hungary in choosing this location," Luhut said in his remarks. Luhut said Indonesia's investment "competitiveness" rate is relatively high in the current global market. The investment value of the copper foil plant reaches US$860 million with a processing capacity of 100 thousand tons. "Where the raw material for the copper cathode comes from the Freeport smelter which was built next to this factory. The commercial operation target is May 2024 along with the completion of the Freeport smelter. Therefore, the Freeport smelter project must not be late," said Luhut. From "ground breaking" to "commercial operation", according to Luhut, the copper foil project was completed in less than 12 months. "This will be the fastest record for the construction of copper projects in the world as well as showing Indonesia's investment reputation," said Luhut. Meanwhile, Chairman of the board Hailian group Cao Jianguo said his party had decided to invest $860 million to build the first copper foil manufacturing company outside China. "We are the first copper foil manufacturing company in Indonesia and are also the largest copper foil manufacturing in Southeast Asia," Cao said. Also accompanying the President in this review were Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia, Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa.