Jokowi Asks The People: Challenge Next Leaders To Dare To Downstream In All Fields

President Joko Widodo while attending the inauguration of the DPP Indonesian Christian Youth Movement (GAMKI)

The President Joko Widodo emphasized that the people must have the courage to remind the next leader to continue downstreaming in all fields. This was stated by the President in his remarks at the Inauguration of the DPP Indonesian Young Forces Movement (GAMKI) for 2023-2026 and the Inauguration of the Opening of the GAMKI National Working Meeting in 2023, in Medan, North Sumatra, Saturday, August 19. "So don't export raw materials, later please remind future leaders not to export raw materials, the people must dare to remind about it," said President Jokowi as witnessed through the live video of the Presidential Secretariat Youtube from Jakarta. On that occasion, the President for the umpteenth time reminded the importance of downstreaming in all fields. Downstream is an attempt to make raw material into semi-finished goods, or finished goods before being exported. President Widodo emphasized that the Indonesian nation has been more than 400 years old, since the VOC era (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie), always exported raw materials. Even though it gets money from exports of raw materials, the number is very small. He again gave an example of the downstream nickel that has been successfully carried out by the current government. Prior to downstreaming the current period of 2020, nickel downstreaming only provided a profit of Rp32 trillion in one year. After downstreaming, the profits increased to Rp510 trillion. Jokowi emphasized that the state received royalties and taxes from such exporting companies. On the other hand, by downstreaming, employment is open in the country.

"Karena negara dari nikel itu sekali lagi dapat PPn pajak pertambahan nilai, dapat PPh perusahaan, dapat PPh karyawan, dapat royalti, dapat penerimaan negara bukan pajak, dapat bea ekspor, dapat banyak sekali," tuturnya."Dan khusus kayak Freeport, karena kita menjadi pemilik saham terbesar, kita masih mendapatkan lagi dividen, jadi itu yang namanya hilirisasi," imbuhnya.Kepala Negara menyampaikan contoh yang diutarakan-nya baru dari sisi komoditas nikel. Menurutnya keuntungan negara akan lebih besar jika hilirisasi dilakukan juga terhadap komoditas lain, semisal, bauksit, tembaga, timah, batu bara bahkan komoditas non-pertambangan seperti minyak kepala sawit/CPO, rumput laut hingga ikan mentah dan lainnya.Namun demikian, Jokowi mengatakan semua itu membutuhkan kekompakan, persatuan, serta seluruh kekuatan komponen bangsa. Dia pun meminta GAMKI senantiasa tampil di depan untuk menjadi lokomotif pembangunan bangsa dalam berbagai bidang.