Minister Of SOEs: German Company Ready To Invest Worth IDR 68.31 Trillion To Build Electric Vehicle Battery Factory

SOE Minister Erick Thohir. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir revealed that Indonesia managed to establish an agreement with an automotive company from Germany to develop electric vehicle batteries.

The total investment commitment obtained reached Rp68.31 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp14,850 per US dollar).

The ino agreement was obtained after President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attended Hannover Messe in Germany, on Saturday, April 15.

"When I was in Hannover Messe, my total VW was 2.6 billion US dollars for car battery development. Then there was also BASF from Germany, a total of yesterday's meeting between VW, BASF, later asked Pak Bahlil again, if I'm not mistaken, almost 4.6 billion US dollars (Rp68.31 trillion)," Erick told reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday, April 18.

Erick said that this investment committee is clear evidence of the government's seriousness in downstreaming natural resources (SDA) to develop electric vehicle batteries.

"This is proof of why the downstreaming of this natural resource system is good for Indonesia. Moreover, Indonesia is a non-block country, non-agency, opening trade relations with all parties. With China, Europe, and America," he said.

He said, despite the issue of WTO nickel, this investment commitment also shows that Indonesia still has a good relationship with Germany.

"And we prove that regardless of the WTO issue, we prove we are friendly, with Germany, with France, with America to work together for nickel," he explained.

Erick added that Indonesia also firmly expressed its desire to build mutually beneficial cooperation.

The reason, said Erick, Indonesia's natural resources (SDA) are often used for the benefit of other countries.

"What we object to, as a developing country, don't call it just take raw materials, and there will be no economic growth in Indonesia, employment in Indonesia," he said.

"We support the European electric car industry, but Europe must also support the opening of jobs and economic growth in Indonesia, so that Indonesia can also become a developed country," he concluded.