State-Owned Export Enterprise to Be Formed, Airlangga Urges Public Not to Worry

The government has begun responding to concerns from business players and foreign investors after the announcement that PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia (DSI) would be established as the new supervisor of export transactions for Natural Resources (SDA) commodities. Several industry associations, especially in the palm oil and coal sectors, have highlighted the policy’s potential impact on export mechanisms and market stability. Market sentiment even affected coal prices after the government announced tighter control over exports through a new body under Danantara.

In response, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the government would shortly provide direct explanations to investors and business people before the policy formally takes effect on 1 June 2026. ‘There will be explanations to investors, so before 1 June, operators can be informed,’ Airlangga said after meeting President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, 21 May 2026.

Airlangga stressed that the initial regime remains limited to reporting export transactions to PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia, not a full takeover of export activities by individual companies. ‘Because yesterday, in the early stage, we are open in terms of reporting, or in the form of reporting,’ he said.

The government also asked industry players and the public not to speculate too much about the policy. According to Airlangga, all export activities will continue to be carried out by companies that have been operating in the coal, crude palm oil (CPO), and ferro-nickel sectors. ‘First of all, there is no need to worry, because all exports are still conducted by existing sector companies such as coal, CPO, and ferro-nickel,’ he said.

He explained that the reporting mechanism to PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia will be used by the government to refine the export transaction monitoring system in the initial months of implementation. ‘And with exports, there will be a direct report to Danantara, so within three months we will fine-tune the system,’ he added.

Previously, the government officially formed PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia as the new instrument to strengthen monitoring of national strategic commodities. The move came after President Prabowo Subianto highlighted practices of under-invoicing and transfer pricing that have reportedly drained Indonesia’s foreign exchange earnings overseas for decades.