Immediately Announce The Prohibition Of Export Of Copper, Jokowi Please PDB Indonesia Capai 11 Trillion US Dollars

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) revealed that he would soon announce a policy to ban the export of crude copper.

This decision follows a similar policy that has been in effect for nickel followed by bauxite as of June.

"Later, I want to announce the stop copper again, this year it will stop," said the President in his remarks at the Mandiri Investment Forum 2023, in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 1.

Jokowi said consistency in implementing downstream policies would increase Indonesia's per capita income.

"We hope that in 2045, our GDP, our GDP will be at my estimated figure of 9-11 trillion US Dollars. Our income per capita, if we are consistent, our income per capita is at 21-29 thousand US Dollars, so our developed country," Jokowi continued.

Jokowi emphasized that Indonesia will continue its mining downstream policy even though it gets a lawsuit from other countries. The downstream policy, he added, would jump Indonesia from developing to developed countries.

"If we are sued later, we step back, we turn, it's good to export raw materials, forget we become developed countries," he said.

He added that the decision to stop exporting crude copper was based on the progress of the construction of smelters in Gresik, East Java and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) which had reached more than 50 percent.

"I checked yesterday, Freeport's smelter and the smelter in NTB were already more than 50 percent finished. Freeport is already 51 percent finished. So, dare us to stop," he said. The president added, Indonesia is currently the majority shareholder of PT Freeport Indonesia.

"To remember, Freeport is ours. So don't imagine, don't imagine anymore Freeport still belongs to America, we already have the majority," concluded Jokowi.