JAKARTA: Indonesian Minister of Investment and Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia has again spoken up about investment for the country’s new capital or IKN Nusantara project in East Kalimantan. He claimed that the progress of all incoming investments went smoothly, including from SpaceX.
“SpaceX is investing and the administrative process is running as it should. Everything is on the track,” said Bahlil when met at the BKPM office, in South Jakarta.
According to him, there were no significant obstacles in the investment process of Elon Musk’s aerospace company. However, he admitted that their several requests were still being discussed and they also need to meet several requirements from Indonesia.
Previously, a US-Asean Business Council representative Taufikurrahman said SpaceX was interested in joining IKN to support its vision of a smart city. Bahlil was then asked to help ease the permit as they faced technical problems in the licensing process.
“SpaceX, one of Elon Musk’s companies, will enter Indonesia for an internet business which is much faster than traditional internet because it uses satellites. This will probably help IKN a lot and Indonesia in the technology sector,” Taufikurrahman said.
Bahlil thus emphasised that he would immediately provide assistance and speed up the licensing process. “Basically, the government will not hold back investment coming into Indonesia,” he said.
