JAKARTA \u2013 Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) has\naffirmed the importance of the state regaining control over the\nmanagement of natural wealth. Zulhas said natural resources must be\nmanaged for the people\u2019s interest and must not be excessively controlled\nby certain parties.<\/p>\n
Zulhas said the management of natural wealth must be returned to the\nprinciples mandated by Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. He assessed\nthat businesspeople may still be involved in managing natural resources,\nbut the authority to regulate and distribute their utilisation must rest\nin the state\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cBusinesspeople are allowed, but the one that distributes is the\ngovernment, the state,\u201d Zulhas said at the Eighth Indonesian Muslim\nCongress (KUII VIII) at the Bidakara Hotel, Jakarta, on Saturday\n(25\/7\/2026).<\/p>\n
According to Zulhas, this principle must not be inverted. Natural\nwealth, which belongs to the state, must be managed and its benefits\ndistributed by the state for the public interest.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t invert it. This belongs to the state, so the state distributes\nit. The President has already set this straight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Zulhas also highlighted the issue of natural resource control through\nregional licensing. He said such practices have occurred across various\nsectors, from gold mining, nickel, coal and tin to bauxite.<\/p>\n
In his view, this situation means Indonesia\u2019s natural wealth risks\nbeing enjoyed more by certain parties than by the state and the public.\nThe Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) touched on the\npotential for state revenue leakages through manipulation of production\nand export data.<\/p>\n
He highlighted one practice of production figures not matching actual\nconditions. Zulhas gave the example of a discrepancy between the sale\nvalue of commodities abroad and the price reported in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey sell at 20,000 but report 10,000 here. That\u2019s a moral hazard,\u201d\nZulhas continued.<\/p>\n
According to Zulhas, such practices can also occur with palm oil\ncommodities. He said the matter must be put in order so that state\nrevenue from economic and trade activities can be recorded\ntransparently.<\/p>\n
\u201cApart from the plantation sector, in mining and fisheries there are\nalso practices of permit abuse, including the use of a single permit for\nmany vessels,\u201d Zulhas revealed.<\/p>\n
Zulhas also admitted he had previously attempted to crack down on\nillegal mines in Bangka Belitung and palm oil plantations in North\nSumatra under the previous administration. He said rectifying illegal\nnatural resources is no easy matter because it involves strong networks\nand interests.<\/p>\n
Zulhas said the government of President Prabowo Subianto is carrying\nout enforcement by deploying the state\u2019s strength. He said the move has\nresulted in around four million hectares of illegal plantations being\ntaken over by the state.<\/p>\n
Zulhas then raised the issue of discrepancies between Indonesia\u2019s\nexport data and trade data from partner countries and international\ninstitutions. He said these data discrepancies need to be resolved so\nthat potential state revenue is not lost.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo all imports and exports now go through a single channel via DSI.\nOh, everything gets exposed,\u201d Zulhas continued.<\/p>\n
Zulhas claimed the system has produced results in a relatively short\ntime. According to him, within two months, management through the system\nhas generated nearly US$20 billion in foreign exchange.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn just two months, DSI has already generated nearly US$20 billion\nin foreign exchange. This is only two months \u2014 it used to be three to\nfour billion US dollars,\u201d Zulhas said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/zulhas-natural-resources-must-be-controlled-by-the-state-not-private-interests-1785030653", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }