President Jokowi appointed Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia to lead the task force to expedite sugar and bioethanol self-sufficiency, reviving the old food estate plan in Merauke, Papua.
The negotiations between Axiata and Sinar Mas regarding the merger of XL and Smartfren are reportedly intensifying. Given the tighter competition landscape, with a new challenger, Starlink, entering the mark, the urgency for consolidation might increase.
China is set to develop rice farming in Central Kalimantan, aiming to remedy the shortcomings of the food estate project in peatlands. Local partners are being sought.
The Indonesian government continues to endorse direct exports as a means of further reducing logistics costs. Export logistics costs are reported to have moderated to around eight percent of GDP.
Masdar reportedly shows interest in developing a 1.2 gigawatt solar power plant in IKN Nusantara, marking it as Indonesia's largest solar project for its future capital thus far.
The government requires recommendations from ministries/agencies for importing various raw materials, a process that has been protested as complex and convoluted. This could lead to fraudulent practices.
The National Energy Council recommends the president promptly instruct ambassadors worldwide to lobby the countries where they are stationed to secure oil supplies.
