Note It Down: Next Week Purbaya Will Announce Whoosh's Operator

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is still preparing a public service body (BLU) within the Finance Ministry that will become the operator of the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed railway, also known as Whoosh.

He is targeting the preparations to be completed within the next week. Purbaya has promised to announce to the public the appointment of the Finance Ministry’s BLU or special mission vehicle (SMV) as Whoosh’s operator on 15 September 2026.

“Just wait another week, on the 15th,” said Purbaya at the DPR building in Jakarta on Monday (7/9/2026).

As is widely known, the Ministry of Finance will take over 60% of the shares in PT Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia (PSBI), the consortium comprising WIKA, PT KAI, Jasamarga and PTPN III, in order to resolve the Whoosh project’s debt problems.

Meanwhile, the 40% stake held by the Chinese company consortium remains unchanged, and the PT PSBI consortium will not be dissolved.

The question of Whoosh’s debts has become a recurring polemic over recent periods, as the project’s debt burden has weighed on the financial balance sheet of PT Kereta Api (Persero).

PT KAI plays the role of lead company in the PT Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia consortium, which is the majority shareholder in PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), the operator of the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed railway, better known as Whoosh.