Making Power Plant Permits Can Get 10 Suitcases, Jokowi: Who Wants It Like That?

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo has been back and forth excited about the extraordinary length of the 'struggle' for investors who want to invest their money in Indonesia. If it doesn't change, Jokowi is worried that fewer investors will want to invest here.

That's why Jokowi is happy that the number of SOEs in Indonesia is shrinking day by day. Through Minister Erick Thohir, the BUMN that previously could have children to great-grandchildren, has been downsized.

"Actually, I ordered 7 years ago to immediately merge, consolidate, and reorganize our SOEs, which in my opinion were too many. This is a very good foundation, then clustered, that's also good," said Jokowi to all BUMN directors at the Meruorah Komodo Hotel Ballroom, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Saturday, October 16 yesterday.

Jokowi asked BUMN to be like a bureaucracy. Because SOEs are now pursuing professionalism.

Jokowi said that he heard that power plant investors had to pass 259 permits. The names of the types of permits vary, ranging from recommendations, as well as statements and research. After all, he said, all the naming refers to licensing matters.

"And that's a total of 259 permits. If carried (in) suitcases, maybe 10 suitcases are there. And the time it takes to seek permits can be 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, 6 years, 7 years. Some people complained to me for 7 years. Well, things like this have to be cut down, it's not allowed, for example at PLN, to be long-winded. It's no longer possible," said Jokowi.

"Who wants to invest when it's complicated like that? It's already complicated at the ministry, in the area it's complicated, getting into SOEs is complicated again. All run away. So in the past, SOEs were a lot, we protect too often. It hurts, add PMN. It hurts, PMN injection. Sorry, it's too delicious!" he insisted.

"And in the end, that reduces the values that I have conveyed. Don't dare to compete. Don't dare to compete. Don't dare to take risks. So, how about professionalism if it is not implemented? So, there is no such thing as protection anymore, already. Already, forget the Minister, the name of the protections," he said.