Prabowo Calculates B50 Savings Can Build Dozens of Dams Every Year

Lombok - President Prabowo Subianto compared the cost of building five dams in NTB with the potential savings from the B50 biodiesel program. He said the savings from stopping solar imports could open up more space to build water infrastructure.

Prabowo said the five dams inaugurated in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Friday, July 10, cost the state around Rp9.79 trillion in investment.

On the other hand, he said the B50 program could save foreign exchange up to Rp170 trillion because Indonesia has started to stop importing solar.

"Yesterday was a very historic day. Indonesia is the first country in the world that can make solar from plants, from palm oil," said Prabowo.

According to Prabowo, Indonesian diesel now contains 50 percent of vegetable fuel from palm oil. He said the policy made Indonesia no longer dependent on imported diesel.

"Starting from these days we have started to stop importing solar from abroad. Thus, we will save Rp170 trillion," he said.

Prabowo then calculated in a simple way. If five dams require Rp. 9.79 trillion, then the savings from B50 can be used to build much more dams.

"Imagine how many dams we can build every year," he said.

Prabowo said the B50 policy had been rejected. He said there were concerns that the machines would break down and that factories would not want to supply the machines. However, the program was still being carried out.

"In the past, many people opposed it. Later the machine will be broken. Later the factory will not want to give us the machine. Anyway, later this, later that," said Prabowo.

He associated the savings with the government's big agenda to reduce leaks and corruption. According to him, Indonesia will not prosper if the state budget continues to leak.

"Indonesia cannot prosper if corruption is still rampant. Indonesia cannot prosper if there are many leaks," he said.

Prabowo said the government would continue to carry out efficiency and savings so that the people's money could be enjoyed again by the people.

"Every rupiah of the people's money must be enjoyed by the Indonesian people," said Prabowo.