Industries

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo has just inaugurated commercial operation of Karalloe Dam in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi province. The dam (40.53 million m3 of capacity) is capable to serve 7,000 hectares of plantation area in Jeneponto Regency.

Covid-19 pandemic, hopefully, teaches Indonesia an important lesson, that it should grow more domestic production of pharmaceutical products to support its 280 million population. Relying too much on import would cost lives because disruption in logistic operation during the pandemic’s restrictions in major producing countries hurt Indonesians.

Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs), mainly battery electric vehicles (BEVs), in China, the world’s largest automotive market, surged by 135% year-on-year to 383,000 units in October 2021 whilst 9.4% downfall of the overall auto market to 2.33 million units. Major brands like Tesla, BYD, Xpeng, and Hongguang Mini all recorded impressive performance in the month.

In late March 2021, minister of state-owned enterprises Erick Thohir announced the establishment of PT Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), a joint venture between four state companies—-MIND ID (previously INALUM), its subsidiary Aneka Tambang (ANTM), Pertamina, and PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). They equally own 25% shares in IBC.

Media reported that early retirement of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) in Indonesia has been discussed at the high-level officials upon the request from president Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo and financing offer from Asia Development Bank (ADB). While it will take years, if not decades, to phase out CFPPs, coal might be available at more affordable price for the processing of coal into chemicals.

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo continues to push domestic processing of raw materials currently exported, including crude palm oil (CPO), palm kernel oil (PKO), thermal coal, oil & gas, and industrial metals (copper, nickel, tin, etc). On palm oil, Jokowi demands stoppage of export in the form of CPO & PKO.

Some Asian countries, including our neighbors Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia, are among those in the list of nations already placed orders to buy Covid-19 antiviral drug Molnupiravir from Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp (USA). Early this month, Australia claimed of securing 300,000 courses of the antiviral. Malaysia ordered 150,000 courses, while South Korea placed 20,000 courses of order. Should we join the rush to buy the drug?

The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Information plans to build a National Data Center (PDN) in order to integrate government data with a multi-layered security system that aligns with the security standards. This PDN, therefore, will unite 2,700 data centers. Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G. Plate has stated that the PDN will be built in four locations: Bekasi (West Java), Batam (Riau Islands), the new capital city in East Kalimantan, and Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara province).

Following commercial operation of PT Halmahera Persada Lygen, the first high pressure acid leach (HPAL) nickel smelter, Indonesia will soon see commissioning of the second HPAL, strengthening the country’s position in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain.