Jakarta –
Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) Senior Economist Faisal Basri revealed the story of his personal meeting with Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in late November 2021. At that time, he and Luhut were talking about electric motorcycles.
Faisal Basri said he has suggested the government to speed up the supply of electric motorcycles to the community. Luhut agreed.
“This is the personal experience of many witnesses, there are 3 of them. I met Mr. Luhut at his home in November last year (2021). I suggested why not an electric motorcycle first sir. ‘Oh yes I am d ‘Agreement, ‘ he said,” Faisal Basri said in Initial Notes Year Indef 2023 to be broadcast virtually on Thursday (5/1/2023).
Subsequently, Luhut said he sent his staff, Deputy Coordination of Mining and Investment Septian Hario Seto to explore cooperation on electric motorcycles in Taiwan.
“He said again, ‘I will take Seto to Taiwan to explore cooperation with an electric motorcycle company in Taiwan.’ I was shown the photos on Seto’s laptop,” Faisal said.
However, a few days later Faisal admitted he was shocked. The reason was that it was not an electric motorcycle partnership with the Taiwanese that he had found, but news of a company, according to him, owned by Luhut, making electric motorcycles with Gojek, which at that time had not yet entered to join Tokopedia.
“Two days after the meeting, I read in the media the signing of a memorandum of understanding between TOBA Luhut branch and GoTo for the production of electric motorcycles,” Faisal said.
Indeed, in November 2021, Gojek and TBS Energi Utama teamed up to form a joint venture called Electrum. TBS Energi Utama Tbk (TOBA) is a coal issuer whose shares are held by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Previously, TBS Energi Utama was PT Toba Bara Sejahtra Tbk, which changed its name on August 26, 2020.
Through Electrum, Gojek and TBS will develop businesses in the fields of electric two-wheeler manufacturing, battery packaging technology, battery swap infrastructure, and financing for electric vehicle ownership.
Faisal Basri was also furious at the news, expressing a series of questions and complaints when he met Seto a week later. However, Seto replied that the collaboration between Gojek and TBS was actually an order from Luhut. According to him, this type of practice demonstrates that there is a conflict of interest within the government.
“I said, I’ve only met Mr. Luhut for two days. Did you do that? He (Seto) said, ‘Wow, I’ve been instructed by Mr. Luhut to sell the company, sir.’ He has prepared the policies for his company,” Faisal said.
“Cars, electric motorcycles are also their girlfriends,” he concluded.
On the other hand, when confirmed by detik.com, Seto confirmed the meeting between Faisal Basri and Luhut in mid-November 2021. However, according to him, the issue of cooperation with the Taiwanese side has never been carried out, nor has he carried out a visit to Taiwan.
Seto said his group had just researched and studied examples of electric motors from Taiwan. However, at the end of the day, Taiwanese electric motors seem unsuitable for use in Indonesia.
“I never went to Taiwan because after being evaluated the bike was not suitable for Indonesia, it was too big and too expensive. At that time we just wanted to compare the electric motors that had been developed in various countries,” Seto said when it was confirmed.
Regarding the cooperation between TBS and Gojek at the time, Seto said he had nothing to do with the planned cooperation with Taiwan for electric motorcycles, which had not been realized. According to him, it was Faisal Basri who was too suspicious of the government.
“It has nothing to do with the collaboration between TOBA and GoTo. Their business is business to business. Please, Mr. Faisal Basri, don’t continue to be prejudiced,” Seto said.
(hal/dna)
