Showing Off Tom Lembong's Mangkrak Heritage Investment, Bahlil: Field Science Is Not Available At Harvard

Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia (Photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - Investment Minister/Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia said he received a stalled investment legacy of Rp708 trillion when he was appointed in 2019.

This stalled investment was inherited from the previous Head of BKPM, namely Thomas Lembong or Tom Lembong.

According to Bahlil, in less than three years he has completed 78 percent of the total stalled investment inherited by Tom Lembong.

"I am included in BKPM, not October 2019, I was inherited by my previous leader with a stalled investment of Rp708 trillion, and thank God, in the no more than three years of stalled investment, we can execute Rp558 trillion or 78.9 percent," he said at a press conference, at the Office of the Ministry of Investment, Wednesday, January 24.

Bahlil said the rest of the stalled investment heritage could not be completed. This is because many companies have resigned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The rest we cannot execute because of the COVID pandemic and the companies are backing down. This is also my report to the public, not that we cannot execute, but indeed the company is experiencing all kinds of internal problems," he explained.

One example, continued Bahlil, is Lotte Chemical investment in Cilegon which reached IDR 59.4 trillion. He said, this investment was successfully completed after a gap of 5 years.

"What is the evidence of the Rp558 trillion? For example, there is, first Lotte Chemical has an investment in Cilegon, now the progress is 80 percent, this has stalled for 4-5 years. My previous leader was unable to complete this, because field knowledge does not have a school in Havard," he said.