The Figure of Sukanto Tanoto Who Wants to Help the State Build IKN

Conglomerate Sukanto Tanoto. (Photo: Doc. Forbes)

YOGYAKARTA - Minister of Investment/ Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia said billionaire Sukanto Tanoto would help President Jokowi's government build a series of projects in the Indonesian National Capital (IKN), East Kalimantan.

Bahlil said Sukanto Tanoto would join the Domestic Investment Consortium (PMDN) led by Sugianto Kusuma alias Aguan as the founder of the Agung Sedayu Group.

"There is Agung Sedayu, after that Sukanto Tanoto will also come in, there are many," Bahlil said on the sidelines of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) event in Semarang, Central Java, reported from detikfinance, Monday (21/8).

Bahlil detailed several projects that will be carried out by Tanoto and Aguan, such as hotels, cafes, sports centers, and others. He said the construction and groundbreaking would be carried out in September 2023.

For him, the laying of the first stone, which is planned for next month, is an order from President Joko Widodo. Bahlil emphasized that his group is ready to oversee the investment realization from Tanoto and Aguan cs.

Then, who is the real figure of Sukanto Tanoto?

The figure of Sukanto Tanoto

Sukanto Tanoto is a founder and Chairman of RGE. He was born on December 25, 1949 in Medan, North Sumatra. He is the first child of 7 children born to a pair of immigrants from Putien, Fujian, China.

Because he was educated at a Mandarin-speaking school since he was young, Tanoto could not speak Indonesian fluently. But now he is fluent in Indonesian.

His persistence in working and building a business made him included in the record of the 50 Richest People in Indonesia for Forbes in 2022.

Tanoto's business journey

Sukanto Tanoto started his business as a supplier of simple spare parts for the oil and construction industry called “Motorcycle Shop”.

In 1967, he started a plywood business. It didn't stop there, he also developed palm oil, pulp and paper, and forestry businesses. From there, Tanoto also founded the Royal Golden Eagle which was originally called RGM in 1973.

The industry is not only national in scope, but also international. Tanoto expanded its industrial reach to spread across Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Nanjing.

In 1981, he founded the Tanoto Foundation. This philanthropic organization was founded with the mission of helping improve the standard of living of citizens and the quality of human beings in Indonesia. This is certainly in line with the field that is covered by the Tanoto Foundation, namely learning and early childhood development.

Apart from being a businessman, Tanoto is also a member of the INSEAD International Council, the Wharton Supervisory Board, the Wharton Executive Council for Asia, and various bodies working in the fields of learning, community and industry.

For his dedication to expanding the global economy and raising the standard of living, Sukanto Tanoto received the Wharton School Dean's Medal Award.

For him, the octopus company Tanoto has a wealth of up to 2.9 billion US dollars or IDR 43 trillion in 2022. For Forbes, currently, Tanoto's wealth reaches IDR 44 trillion.

This wealth comes from the RGE Group which has assets of more than 30 billion US dollars. RGE Group also employs 60,000 workers in Indonesia, China, Brazil, Canada, and marketing offices around the world.

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