March 26, 2026 | 04:03 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has raised concerns over Indonesia’s domestic mineral industry, saying the sector has not delivered fair returns to the country.
The issue was discussed during a meeting with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, who said Prabowo had instructed the government to prioritize national interests in managing Indonesia’s natural resources.
“Our natural resources are national assets. The President has instructed us to identify sources of state revenue in the mineral sector, which so far has not been fair to the country,” Bahlil said in a written statement on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Bahlil said the government is currently focused on ensuring that downstream processing programs run optimally, while also advancing the energy transition and keeping energy commodity production aligned with market demand.
He added that the government is also seeking to maintain competitive commodity prices without compromising national interests.
According to Bahlil, downstreaming remains one of the key priorities of Prabowo’s administration. He said the government is working on 20 first-phase downstreaming projects, some of which have already entered the groundbreaking stage.
In addition, the government is preparing 13 more downstreaming projects, with a combined investment value of around Rp239 trillion, which is still under final discussion.
Beyond mineral processing, Bahlil said the meeting also covered the development of alternative energy as part of Indonesia’s push for energy self-sufficiency.
He said Prabowo had instructed the government to maximize all domestic energy potential, including ethanol and biodiesel derived from crude palm oil (CPO), to support the development of new and renewable energy.
“The President has instructed us to optimize all available energy potential, whether ethanol, biodiesel from CPO, and how we can accelerate the energy transition through new and renewable energy,” Bahlil said.
The meeting took place at Prabowo’s private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Wednesday, March 25. Several ministers also attended, including Investment Minister and Danantara head Rosan Perkasa Roeslani.
Read: Prabowo Orders Faster Waste-to-Energy Rollout Across Indonesia
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