Jakarta –
The government has not yet made a decision regarding the divestment PT Vale Indonesia Tbk to date. Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the government would make a decision this month.
Regarding this divestment, SOE Minister Erick Thohir said he was in a defensive position.
“My position is defending, later the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Minister of Investment will have to sit down again, together. If I am in a defensive position,” said Erick at the Ministry of BUMN Jakarta, Friday (21/5/2023).
The defensive position, explained Erick, is that Vale must release its shares. According to him, it is something reasonable.
“Again, the name Vale has to reinquish, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t like foreign investment, but this is a policy. Freeport is reinquish, national entrepreneurs are also relinquish, meaning this is something normal,” he said.
Erick assesses, judging by his track record, Vale has only recently been aggressive. According to him, Vale only became aggressive when nickel became a valuable commodity.
“He must have believed in Indonesia from the beginning, why is it only now, it’s the same. That was what was emphasized to Freeport yesterday too, one of the extensions must have something called building a smelter, why not 30 years ago,” he said.
“That means, yes, this is a government policy that does downstream rather than natural resources, which is industrialization, that’s my position,” he added.
When asked whether the Indonesian side should become the majority shareholder like Freeport, Erick said, that would be the next discussion.
“If the majority issue is the second discussion, there will be negotiations, I also can’t put pressure on it, but if it’s relinquish it’s a policy that shouldn’t be specialized. We’re making regulations for all, not for some groups, some parties,” he said.
(acd/hns)
2023-07-21 14:06:49
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