Not Waiting For Tesla's Investment To Enter The Republic Of Indonesia, Luhut: We Already Have A Chinese Electric Car Company BYD

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said he was no longer waiting for the certainty of the Tesla electric car company's investment in Indonesia, because there had been investment from BYD.

For your information, an electric car company from China, BYD has officially invested in Indonesia worth US$1.3 billion or equivalent to Rp20 trillion to build a factory in Indonesia.

"We already have BYD, how come BYD is not bad, it's good," he said when met at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Jakarta, Wednesday, February 7.

Furthermore, Luhut said that his party would remain open if later the electric car company owned by Elon Musk still wanted to build a factory in Indonesia. But if in the end it doesn't happen to build a factory, Luhut admits that he doesn't mind it.

"If Tesla wants to come, please. If he doesn't want to come, then go ahead too," said Luhut.

Luhut said, Tesla will cooperate with one of the nickel producers in Indonesia, PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (INCO) for the supply of raw materials from mining commodities. However, the type of product cannot be mentioned yet.

"Yes, he'll see what product he wants, we'll see, wait," he said.

Instead of investing in electric vehicle factories, Luhut said Elon Musk plans to invest in Indonesia through his other company, Starlink. The investment made through SpaceX's subsidiary will be placed in IKN Nusantara.

"Starlink wants to enter, I think the requirements are almost complete, he will go to IKN," he said.

Luhut said after Starlink completed the requirements from the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo), Starlink had to fulfill the Operational Feasibility Test (ULO) within a week.

After the permit for an operation from Kominfo is obtained, continued Luhut, Starlink can come to Indonesia to inaugurate investment. According to Luhut, the Starlink investment entry ceremony was carried out at IKN.

"Because he (Starlink) wants to launch it, he said at IKN, and at the puskesmas near IKN," he explained.

According to Luhut, Starlink's investment in IKN is also in line with the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) so that an adequate internet network is available, especially at health centers around IKN.

"So that health centers are not affordable with communication, with Starlink they can be affordable, so that health services in rural areas can be affordable," said Luhut.