MPR backs President's commitment to overhaul the governance of natural resource exports

Jakarta – The Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI, Eddy Soeparno, has backed President Prabowo Subianto’s pledge to overhaul the governance of natural resource exports through the creation of an export management agency. In a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday, he said the move aligns with the mandate of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution to ensure the management of natural resources is utilised to maximise benefits for the people. ‘This step to regulate commodity exports is important to ensure Indonesia’s natural resource wealth truly yields maximum benefits for the country and its people,’ he said. He noted that to date there have been issues of under-invoicing export values and transfer pricing in the trade of natural resource exports carried out by unscrupulous business actors. Eddy hopes the new mechanism being prepared by the government can strengthen oversight, improve transparency in commodity trade, and maximise the nation’s foreign exchange earnings amid global economic challenges and the need to finance development. Nevertheless, he cautioned that policy implementation must be carried out carefully and with clear communication to avoid creating uncertainty among business actors. ‘Presidential aides need to foster good communication to prevent doubt, confusion, or anxiety among business players,’ he said. Therefore, the transition process to the new mechanism should prioritise legal certainty, ease of doing business, transparency, and collaboration between the government and industry players. ‘The primary aim is to strengthen national interests without disrupting business continuity and Indonesia’s export competitiveness,’ he added. The commitment to establishing the export management body for natural resources had previously been conveyed by President Prabowo during the 19th Plenary Session of the Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI) regarding the Macro Economic Framework and Key Fiscal Policy Principles at the DPR Building on Wednesday morning.