PKB Proposes Formation of Industrial Raw Material Guarantee Agency
The Deputy General Chair of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Faisol Riza, has proposed to the government the formation of an agency to guarantee the availability of raw materials for industry.
“It is reasonable to propose the formation of an agency named the Industrial Raw Material Guarantee Agency,” Faisol stated during a public discussion at the PKB National Headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.
He explained that the proposal is justified as it relates to one of the essential requirements for achieving industrial independence in the country, namely raw material self-sufficiency.
“Almost all industries require raw materials. However, our raw materials are mostly imported. Most of what we produce across all sectors relies on imports,” he emphasised.
In reality, he noted, Indonesia possesses vast amounts of raw materials that could be processed into industrial raw materials.
“We have the raw materials, but raw materials do not necessarily become industrial inputs unless we process them,” he said.
He believes the government should guarantee the availability of raw materials for national industrial needs.
“We should guarantee their availability, and we should produce more of them domestically,” he added.
Therefore, he stated that the proposal to form an industrial raw material guarantee agency is a logical step. “If there is no one managing the raw materials, then the industry will also find it difficult to be optimised,” he remarked.
Furthermore, he argued that the formation of such an agency remains necessary even though the Ministry of Industry currently exists.
“The Ministry of Industry does have the authority to issue various policies, but ensuring the actual availability of raw materials on the ground can only be achieved by a dedicated institution that guarantees their supply,” he said.
In addition to this proposal, Faisol also highlighted the need to establish an agency related to industrial applied technology.
“This Industrial Applied Technology Agency is vital to ensure the sustainability of industrial technology used across various factories and sectors,” he added.