Prabowo to Masela Investors, Please Profit but People Must Feel the Results

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto asked the Abadi Masela LNG Project to be run on the principle of mutual benefit. Investors must make a profit, but the government must also ensure that natural wealth improves people's lives.

"Run this project as best as possible on the basis of mutual benefit. Investors must profit," said Prabowo when participating in the groundbreaking online from Jakarta, Thursday, July 16.

He made the statement to companies involved in the Masela project, namely INPEX from Japan, Petronas from Malaysia, and Pertamina.

Prabowo said Indonesia respects foreign partners who invest capital and are willing to cooperate openly. However, partnerships should not ignore the interests of the community.

"We have a great responsibility to our people. There are still many people who live in hardship," he said.

According to Prabowo, Indonesia is open to all countries that want to cooperate fairly. He also emphasized that the government would not accept a relationship that would harm national interests.

"All parties must also understand that Indonesia is now an adult. Indonesian leaders are not stupid leaders, not naive leaders, not cowardly leaders," he said.

Prabowo said the hospitality of the Indonesian people should not be considered a weakness. He rejected the assumption that underestimated Indonesian workers as lazy people.

According to Prabowo, fishermen, farmers, and workers in various areas undergo heavy work from before sunrise to night.

The Masela project has an investment of 20.9 billion US dollars and is expected to produce more than 9 million tons of LNG, condensate, and other products.

Prabowo asked that the investment support energy needs, downstream processing, industrialization, and public services.

"We need this energy to carry out the transformation of the nation," he said.

He emphasized that the benefits of investors and benefits for the people should not be opposed. Both must run in the project that the community has been waiting for almost three decades.