Amman's Smelter Inaugurated, Bahlil: No Foreigner, No Aseng

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia (Photo: Antara)

Amman Mineral's copper smelter has been inaugurated by President Joko Widodo today, Monday, September 23.

Present on the same occasion, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that he was proud of the inauguration of this smelter because it was owned 100 percent by Indonesian entrepreneurs. He also compared this smelter with Freeport, which is 49 percent owned by foreign parties, while 51 percent is owned by SOEs.

"For those who are foreign, no aseng or BUMN. This belongs to them. Hopefully, they will pay taxes," Bahlil said in his remarks, Monday, September 23.

Furthermore, Bahlil said, Amman Mineral is one of the domestic companies that is required by the government to downstream copper and so that it is still allowed to export copper concentrate.

Bahlil said, at the beginning of the construction of this smelter, Amman mineral faced a number of challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic to company capital expenditures.

"I know very well how difficult they are. The reasons are various. The reasons for COVID-19, the reason for Capex. But I said the president's order. If they don't obey, they can no longer send exports," Bahlil explained.

Despite requiring the construction of a smelter, Bahlil ensured that the government also provided fiscal incentives in the form of a 20-year tax holiday to Amman Mineral to support the company's investment in the construction of this smelter.

In front of Jokowi Bahlil also said that Amman Mineral requested that he still be able to export copper concentrate at an affordable cost because the company's peak production only occurred in March 2025.

"But I said to inaugurate it first and then talk about the export fee. We can discuss that," said Bahlil.