Rosan Reviews Injection Of PSO Funds From State Budget For Whoosh's Operational Costs

Minister of Investment and Downstream Development and CEO of Danantara, Rosan Perkasa Roeslani. (Photo: Antara Doc.)

JAKARTA - Minister of Investment and Downstreaming and CEO of Danantara Rosan Perkasa Roeslani explained that the government and Danantara are currently reviewing plans to inject public service obligation (PSO) funds from the state budget to help finance the future operation of the Jakarta-Bandung Whoosh high-speed train.

Discussions regarding the use of PSO funds for Whoosh were discussed in a limited meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, November 5. The meeting was attended by Rosan, Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

"We have already coordinated. For the future of Whoosh, some portions of the public service obligation will be borne by the government, while others will be jointly funded by the infrastructure," Rosan said in response to reporters' questions after the meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon, as quoted by Antara.

Rosan, when asked further about the PSO fund usage scheme, could not provide further details.

"We are currently finalizing this, but as previously stated, the government will definitely be involved. There are laws regarding infrastructure, and mass transportation is the government's responsibility," said Danantara CEO Rosan P. Roeslani.

At the same location, on a separate occasion, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) revealed several options for using the state budget (APBN) for Whoosh's future operations.

"For now, there are several options, such as how to separate operational and profit-focused interests from managing the infrastructure. The hope is that both can run smoothly, and there can be shared responsibility or burden-sharing," said Coordinating Minister AHY at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, November 3.