Indonesia’s One-Gate Export to Cover All Strategic Commodities 

President Prabowo Subianto has unveiled plans to centralize exports of all strategic commodities, saying that the current trade shakeup has generated billions of dollars of additional foreign currency earnings. 

In an almost two-hour-long state speech, Prabowo touted the fruits of his decision to implement a one-gate export system through the nascent Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI). The agency currently oversees the exports of palm oil, coal, and ferroalloys, although its activities are still limited to cross-checking the shipment documents. 
 

"DSI will eventually manage all strategic commodity exports, so it won't just be three. We no longer wish to be fooled. We must not let our wealth only fatten the pockets of a small group of individuals, while the people suffer," Prabowo said. 

The timeline of the proposed expansion, including the list of commodities joining the next tranche, remains undisclosed. 
 

According to Prabowo, DSI currently monitors over 6,500 export transactions despite having only been operational for around two and a half months. It oversees USD 14 billion worth of foreign exchange export earnings. DSI has identified a potential USD 5 billion boost in foreign exchange. 
 

Prabowo said Indonesia's commodities had lost "50% of their value" when shipped overseas, naming palm oil as an example. 
 

DSI will only deal with the [export] processes. It's not meant to have a company that single-handedly controls the commodities and exports them. It has enabled us to keep an eye on the tonnages, what the exporters declare on paper, and how much has actually arrived in their destinations," Prabowo explained. 

The high-stakes speech also revealed plans for DSI to expand its monitoring to 50 ports across 25 provinces, giving them extra room to prevent exporters from under-reporting their shipment volumes. 

Prabowo went on to say that resource-rich Indonesia has had enough of other foreign entities "determining the price" of the shipments, even calling the move "a violation of economic principles". 
 

Indonesia's foreign partners, including close neighbor Singapore, mainly respect Indonesia's export overhaul.  

In a recent Jakarta visit, Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong told the press that his country would work with Jakarta to "make sure its access to Indonesian exports will continue to flow freely".  

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa at the time had accused some Singaporean trading companies of being involved in under-invoicing in the palm oil trade. The one-gate export regime is still in a transition phase and was supposed to fully take effect in early 2027. Prabowo wants to accelerate its rollout to September. By then, DSI is expected to also take care of the shipments and transactions with the foreign buyers. 

Source: Jakarta Globe 

Prabowo kicks off e-motorcycle ecosystem to push nickel use 
 

President Prabowo Subianto has announced a government push for a national electric motorcycle industry spanning vehicle manufacturing, batteries, charging infrastructure and after-sales services as the country pushes to cut fuel imports and boost electric vehicle adoption.  

Launched at the production facility for the Alva electric motorcycle in Cikarang, West Java, the effort dubbed the Molinas program brings together the government, state-owned companies and private businesses to develop a domestic electric motorcycle industry.  

The Alva is produced by PT Ilectra Motor Group, a subsidiary of mining conglomerate PT Indika Energy. State asset fund Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani said at least 10 national motorcycle companies had met local-content requirements and would participate in the initiative, working with state-owned PT Len Industri, which has been appointed as the program’s lead integrator, as well as Danantara.  

The program aims to strengthen domestic production while using the country’s nickel resources to develop a local battery supply chain, Rosan said. 

“EV bikes can be affordable and high quality, especially if we can carry out downstream processing of nickel into battery cells and battery packs, which can then be used in Molinas production going forward,” Rosan said in his opening speech.  

Indonesia has the world's largest nickel reserves, with about 46 percent of global reserves located in the country, Rosan said. The government hopes to capture more value from the resource by processing nickel into battery cells and packs for electric motorcycles, rather than relying on imported components.   

But electric motorcycles still account for only a small fraction of the country's huge two-wheeler market. Southeast Asia's largest economy has about 140 million motorcycles, with annual sales of 6 million to 7 million units, Rosan said. Only 60,000 to 70,000 electric motorcycles are sold each year, giving them a market share of roughly 1 percent, Rosan said.  

The government missed its target of having 2 million electric two-wheelers on the road by 2025, raising questions over a much larger target of 13 million units by 2030 as it seeks to cut emissions and move toward net zero. “From what we see, the upside can be exponential,” Rosan said, adding that the potential market could reach around USD 170 billion. To make electric motorcycles more affordable, Danantara will work with state-owned banks and financial institutions to offer lower-interest financing with longer repayment periods and no down payment, Rosan said. 

The government is also considering a trade-in scheme that would allow motorcycle owners to exchange conventional gasoline-powered motorcycles for electric scooters. The Molinas program gives Len responsibility for coordinating the different parts of the domestic electric motorcycle industry, including manufacturers and suppliers, as the government seeks to build an ecosystem rather than promote a single electric motorcycle brand. 
 

The initiative is part of a broader push to develop domestic electric vehicle manufacturing. About 84 kilometers from the Cikarang motorcycle plant, the government is also developing a national car project in Subang, West Java, where state-owned defense manufacturer PT Pindad is expected to assemble a “national” electric car by 2028 at the latest, Prabowo said.  

Prabowo described the projects as examples of “Indonesia Incorporated”, referring to closer cooperation between the government, state-owned enterprises and private companies. He said expanding the use of electric motorcycles, cars, buses and tractors would help the country become more prosperous while reducing its reliance on imported fuel.  

“We send USD 30 billion abroad for fuel,” Prabowo said. “We are determined to reduce that with B50 biodiesel. We will soon replace [liquefied petroleum gas] with [compressed natural gas], and we will also build 30 gigawatts of solar power this year and 100 gigawatts over the next four years.” 
 

Source: The Jakarta Post 

Jakarta LRT Velodrome-Manggarai route nearly complete: Governor 

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said construction of the Jakarta LRT Velodrome-Manggarai route is nearly complete, with progress reaching 97.99 percent. 
 

"If you ask about overall readiness, it's now at 97.99 percent, so almost 98 percent," Anung said at the Manggarai LRT Station, here on Thursday. 
 

He said the new mass transit route still requires work on signaling at several points, adding that he expects all remaining issues to be resolved by August 20. 
 

He expressed confidence the new LRT route would transform the city's landscape, noting that it connects three areas of Jakarta: North, East, and South Jakarta. 
 

"Later, once we connect it to Dukuh Atas (Station), it will become four areas: North, East, South, and Central Jakarta," he said. 
 

The Velodrome-Manggarai route spans 12.2 kilometers with an investment value of IDR 12.1 trillion. 
 

The LRT will stop at 11 stations, which are Kelapa Gading, Boulevard Utara Summarecon Mall, Boulevard Selatan, Pulomas, Equestrian, Velodrome, Rawamangun, Pramuka, Matraman, Proklamasi, and Manggarai. 
 

"We have already checked everything, and it is all ready to operate," the governor said. 
 

Regarding fares, he said the matter has yet to be decided. As for the inauguration date, he said this would be announced by the Presidential Palace, since the new route is planned to be inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto. 
 

Regional-owned infrastructure and urban development company PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro) said the inauguration and initial operation of the LRT Jakarta Kelapa Gading-Manggarai route is scheduled for August 26, 2026. 
 

To that end, the company has been strengthening coordination with the Transportation Ministry's Directorate General of Railways to ensure the service's readiness. 
 

"This coordination covers a series of tests on infrastructure and facilities, signaling systems, telecommunications, electrical systems, and overall system integration," Jakpro Technical and Development Director Robert Sarjaka said on Wednesday. 

Source: ANTARA News