Indonesia's Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir (left) takes pictures with newly appointed Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia (front, second right), Minister of Investment Rosan Roeslani (front right) and other ministers before their swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Aug 19, 2024. - AFP
JAKARTA: President Joko Widodo’s new ministers aim to set down policies that will boost oil and gas output as well as attract more private sector investment beyond the current administration’s last two months in power.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and Investment Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani respectively plan to look at incentives and push private sector cooperation in achieving their goals, they told reporters after their inauguration ceremony in Jakarta.
Bahlil also vowed to support renewable energy and carbon capture projects, while Rosan seeks investors for the new capital city called Nusantara.
Jokowi, as the president is known, revamped his cabinet anew on Monday (Aug 19), just weeks before his term ends on Oct 20 in a bid to ensure his policies remain priorities for president-elect Prabowo Subianto.
Other than the new energy and investment chiefs, he also appointed a new law minister and deputy tech minister - all of whom are either members of Prabowo’s political party or election campaign team.
Observers and economists have questioned the incoming government’s ability to continue Jokowi’s key policies, including the 466 trillion rupiah (US$30 billion) relocation of the capital and the development of metal smelters and battery factories, given the incoming leader has his own policy goals, particularly a 450 trillion rupiah free meal programme. - Bloomberg
