Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan Nicknamed 'King Of Wind Heaven,' Observer: Objective And What It Is

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (LBP) was dubbed the 'King of Heaven's Wind' by the People's Party of Adil Makmur (Prima). Previously, President Joko Widodo was also given the nickname 'The King of Lips Service' by BEM UI.

A similar nickname was also given to Vice President Ma'ruf Amin as 'King of Silent' by BEM UNS and DPR Speaker Puan Maharani as 'Queen of Ghosting' by BEM UNNES.

Responding to the new nickname, political observer at Al Azhar University Indonesia, Ujang Komarudin, appreciated the Prima Party's courage to criticize Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

"That's their assessment, objective and what it is," said Ujang, Tuesday, August 3.

The Executive Director of the Indonesia Political Review (IPR), assessed that the nickname of the Prima Party could make Luhut's ears hot because so far no one has dared to explicitly criticize the commander for handling COVID-19 in Java and Bali.

"The King of Heaven's Wind, a nickname that seems to make LBP's ears warm. And criticism is healthy," said Ujang.

According to Ujang, the criticized parties need not be angry. Because, he said, the democratic system implemented in Indonesia has guaranteed everyone to give opinions and criticisms to state officials.

"You don't have to be angry and mock. Because in a democracy, criticism is a normal thing. It is done to remind each other," said Ujang.

Previously, the Chief Justice of the People's Party of Adil Makmur (Prima), Binbin Firman Tresnadi, Sunday, August 8, quipped that Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan was labeled as 'The King of Wind Heaven.'

Binbin revealed, after his party searched the mass media, it turned out that there were quite a lot of empty promises or the wind of heaven that had been conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Marves).

"We can say that there have been at least 13 heavenly winds from Coordinating Minister Luhut during his tenure as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs since 2016," said Binbin.

First, in 2016 Luhut said that Aramco would build a refinery in Balongan. It turned out that in the end it failed, Pertamina went without Aramco.

Second, in 2017, there was a promise to help Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti eradicate fish thieves. The fact is that in 2019 Susi is no longer a minister of the KKP, and until 2021, fish thieves are still there and continue to multiply.

Third, in 2017, Luhut promised that the price of salt for farmers would no longer be below Rp 750/kg. In fact, the price of salt in 2019 is still below Rp 500/kg and even in 2020 it continues to fall to Rp 150/kg to Rp 400/kg.

Fourth, in 2017 promised to stop importing salt, but what has happened until now (2021) Indonesia still imports 3 million tons of salt.

Fifth, in 2017 Qatar promised investment in Mandalika, but until 2021 there was no news about the investment plan.

Sixth, 2018 once promised that the Citarum River would be clean, in fact until now it is still considered the most polluted in the world. Seventh, in 2018 promises to solve the problem of plastic waste and keep the ocean clean.

However, what happens is that plastic waste is increasing and in 2021 it is called the plastic waste emergency period.

The eighth Prima note, in 2018 once promised that electricity rates would not increase. The fact is that since 2019, 2020, until 2021, electricity rates have always increased every year. The ninth promise that Prima found, in 2019 promised investors from the UAE to build the Bontang refinery.

In fact, until now there has been no progress whatsoever, until in mid-2021 Pertamina finally decided to stop the construction of the Bontang refinery.

Tenth, 2020 promises to invest 100 billion US dollars from Softbank for the construction of the new capital. It turned out that a few days later it was immediately denied by Softbank.

Eleventh, 2020 ensures that the arrival of Chinese TKI to the nickel processing industry will benefit Indonesia. In 2021, economist Faisal Basri calculated that 90 percent of the nickel industry's profits were brought to China.

Twelfth, in March 2021 Luhut promised the construction of the Freeport-Tsinghan smelter. But in fact a month later the deal failed.

Finally, in February 2021, Luhut promised that Tesla would build a factory in Indonesia. It turned out that a few weeks later Tesla decided to invest in India.