Claiming the Sweet Promises of the US Cs, Luhut: Ao.. Ao.. By the way!
Photo: Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan during a visit to the United States to meet with the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate H.E John Kerry. (Youtube Screenshot @luhut.pandjaitan)
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan emphasized that he had claimed promises to accelerate the implementation of the energy transition including by the United States (US), which were announced through the G20 forum and were just empty words.
As is well known, funding through the Just Energy Transition Program (JETP) of US$ 20 billion or the equivalent of Rp. 294.3 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp. 14,718 per US$) for Indonesia has so far not reached a bright spot.
As is known, US President Joe Biden has expressed the commitment of the G7 countries initiated by the US and Japan to fund the acceleration of the energy transition in Indonesia. This commitment is manifested through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) initiative which was initiated at the G20 Summit in Bali, Tuesday (15/11/2022).
Luhut recounted his work trip to Washington DC, United States, one of which was to follow up on JETP by the US and Japan. At that time Luhut collected the promised funds made by the US, but Luhut did not get the desired answer.
In fact, in Luhut's story, the US was silent when asked where the money was being promised for Indonesia in order to accelerate the transition from energy to clean energy.
"When I was in Washington a month ago, we explained (the energy transition plan) they had it, then I said, where is the money? Ao ao just talking," Luhut said at the event 'Energy Downstreaming and Transition Towards Golden Indonesia', Jakarta, quoted on Wednesday (10/5/2023).
Not afraid, Luhut told the United States that the US should not control Indonesia in making policy decisions.
"If you give the loan price the same as the commercial loan price, forget it, we can do it by our own, why are you making arrangements? He must understand," added Luhut.
On the same occasion, Luhut had called Singapore a jerk. This is because Singapore asked to import electricity from Indonesia's clean energy sources. However, this request was flatly rejected by Luhut because Singapore only asked Indonesia to export electricity, but not build its industry in Indonesia.
According to him, Indonesia wants to export electricity to Singapore, as long as the clean energy industry is developed in Indonesia. "Singapore asked us to export clean energy electricity. We don't want it, I said I don't want it. If we want the project," Luhut said on the same occasion.
His anger grew when he explained that this request showed that Singapore considered Indonesia stupid, that it could be used to supply electricity from Indonesia's clean energy to Singapore.
"This is Singapore asshole, we just think we're stupid, tender for our companies, I really think so," said Luhut.
Although the source of clean energy in question was not explicitly stated, Singapore previously asked Indonesia to export electricity to Singapore from a solar power plant (PLTS).
Tagih Janji Manis AS Cs, Luhut: Ao.. Ao.. Omong Doang!
Foto: Menko Marves Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan saat melakukan kunjungan ke Amerika Serikat untuk bertemu United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate H.E John Kerry. (Tangkapan Layar Youtube @luhut.pandjaitan)
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Menteri Koordinator Bidang Kemaritiman dan Investasi (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan menegaskan bahwa dirinya sudah menagih janji percepatan pelaksanaan transisi energi termasuk oleh Amerika Serikat (AS) yang diumumkan melalui forum G20 lalu hanyalah omong kosong.
Sebagaimana diketahui, pendanaan melalui Just Energy Transition Program (JETP) sebesar US$ 20 miliar atau setara Rp 294,3 triliun (asumsi kurs Rp 14.718 per US$) untuk Indonesia sampai saat ini belum menemui titik terang.
Seperti diketahui, Presiden AS Joe Biden telah mengungkapkan komitmen negara-negara G7 hasil inisiasi AS dan Jepang untuk mendanai percepatan transisi energi di Indonesia. Komitmen ini dituangkan melalui inisiasi Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) yang dicetuskan pada Konferensi Tingkat Tinggi (KTT) G20 di Bali, Selasa (15/11/2022).
Luhut menceritakan perjalanan kerjanya ke Washington DC, Amerika Serikat, salah satunya untuk menindaklanjuti JETP oleh AS dan Jepang. Saat itu Luhut menagih janji dana yang dilontarkan oleh AS, namun Luhut tidak mendapatkan jawaban yang diinginkan.
Justru, dalam cerita Luhut, AS diam saat ditanya dimana uang yang di gadang-gadang untuk Indonesia dalam rangka percepatan transisi energi menjadi energi bersih.
"Waktu saya di Washington sebulan lalu, kita paparin (rencana transisi energi) mereka sudah iya, terus saya bilang, where is the money? Ao ao ngomong doang," papar Luhut dalam acara 'Hilirisasi dan Transisi Energi Menuju Indonesia Emas', Jakarta, dikutip Rabu (10/5/2023).
Tidak takut, Luhut mengungkapkan kepada pihak Amerika Serikat bahwa jangan sampai AS mengatur Indonesia dalam mengambil kebijakan.
"Kalau kamu kasih harga loan-nya sama dengan harga commercial loan, forget it, we can do it by our own, kenapa kalian ngatur-ngatur? Dia harus ngerti," tambah Luhut.
Pada kesempatan yang sama, Luhut sempat menyebut Singapura brengsek. Hal tersebut lantaran Singapura meminta impor listrik dari sumber energi bersih Indonesia. Namun, permintaan tersebut ditolak mentah-mentah oleh Luhut karena Singapura hanya meminta Indonesia untuk mengekspor listrik, tetapi tidak membangun industrinya di Indonesia.
Menurutnya, Indonesia mau mengekspor listrik ke Singapura, selama industri energi bersih ini dikembangkan di Indonesia. "Singapura minta supaya kita ekspor listrik clean energy. Kita nggak mau, saya bilang nggak mau. Mau, kalau proyek di kita," ungkap Luhut pada kesempatan yang sama.
Amarahnya semakin menjadi ketika dia menjelaskan bahwa permintaan tersebut menunjukkan bahwa Singapura menilai Indonesia bodoh, bisa dimanfaatkan untuk mengaliri listrik dari energi bersih Indonesia ke Singapura
"Ini kan brengsek Singapura ini, dipikir kita bodoh aja, tender perusahaan-perusahaan kita, emang gue pikirin," tegas Luhut.
Meski tak disebut secara gamblang sumber energi bersih yang dimaksud, namun sebelumnya Singapura meminta Indonesia untuk mengekspor listrik ke Singapura dari Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Surya (PLTS).