President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said five heads of government had called him asking Indonesia to reopen coal exports in January 2022. The same call also happened when Indonesia blocked crude palm oil export and nickel.
Business associations will be involved in the formation of the special entity for coal, he said. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has been assigned to gather all its members
The government has lifted a month-long ban on coal exports.
Joko Widodo said he has set a timeline for the completion of a number of coal downstream projects in Indonesia and expected all stakeholders, including ministries, to meet the target.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said the remaining coal producers who have yet to meet the obligation must need to wait before restarting their export activities.
Secretary of energy Alfonso Cusi said the policy potentially results in massive disruption to national economy.
