Expert: Society Need Not Worry About Energy, Must Remain Prudent

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is considered to be on the right track in building energy resilience, so there is no need to worry about domestic energy, including the impact of geopolitical issues in the Middle East, said economics and business expert from Hasanuddin University in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Professor Hamid Paddu. Hamid Paddu expressed this view in response to a report from the British international media outlet The Economist, titled “Which country is the biggest loser from the energy shock”, which states that Indonesia is on the right track in building energy resilience. “I think, yes (on the right track). Because The Economist is certainly more fair. They certainly report based on data, evidence-based information available. The information they have and the policies they know,” he said in his statement in Jakarta on Tuesday. According to him, the basis of the report stating that Indonesia is one of the developing countries most secure from the impact of the global energy crisis is because the government has carried out energy diversification well, including solar power plants, and promoting the use of electric vehicles. Moreover, he added, the report also discusses that Indonesia’s energy resilience is stronger compared to other countries, including Vietnam. “From the aspect of energy resilience, we are more stable. Whereas for economic resilience, we must carry out industrialisation,” he said. Furthermore, Hamid continued, during the energy transition and diversification period, the Government through state-owned enterprises is also continuously seeking new oil reserves and, at present, Indonesia has proven oil reserves of 4.4 billion barrels that can strengthen national energy resilience for the next 10 years.