Jokowi echoes Sri Mulyani’s warnings about oil imports

Jakarta –

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called for an increase in oil and gas production. He does not want oil and gas production to continue to fall.

The reason is that if oil production continues to decline, much of the state budget will be spent on importing oil and gas to meet domestic needs.

“I believe that oil production must increase. One way or another it must increase. Because once the production falls, the money we spend will be very large,” said Jokowi on the agenda for the 79th Anniversary of Mining and Energy, at Kempinski Hotel, Central Jakarta, Thursday (10/10/2024).

Jokowi emphasized that all wells must be able to increase their productivity. In some way the increase must be increased.

“Our wells are productive. Whether we do it ourselves, we do it with BUMN, we do it with Pertamina, we work together with the private sector, foreign companies, it’s all done, “explained Jokowi.

The former Jakarta Governor also said that he had just met Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati this afternoon. During the meeting, Sri Mulyani also reminded Jokowi about the production of oil and gas that must be ensured to fall.

The reason is that if construction collapses, Indonesia will have to spend hundreds of trillions to import oil and gas. This means that a large foreign exchange will be lost.

“Just this afternoon I received a message from the Minister of Finance, Sir, oil production cannot be allowed to continue to fall like this, Sir. If it goes down a little, 50, 100. But if you ‘counting imports, that means our imports of oil and gas are hundreds of trillions out.

“Don’t let oil production go down no matter how much, even a litre, it has to go up, every year it has to go up,” he said.

(hal/hns)