Zulhas reveals PSEL journey began with President Prabowo's challenge

Denpasar (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, revealed that the journey towards implementing Waste-to-Energy (PSEL) began with a challenge from President Prabowo Subianto to resolve the nation’s waste problems.

“It began during a meeting with the President; he asked how we can progress if we cannot even manage our waste. Tourists in Bali are protesting, asking how this will be resolved. Everyone eventually offered comments, but I remained silent because, in my heart, waste was not my responsibility,” Zulhas said in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday.

Ultimately, President Prabowo directed the question to him in his capacity as the Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs. Consequently, Zulhas requested the creation of a Presidential Decree (Keppres) to provide legal standing and asked for at least two years to complete the challenge.

Minister Zulhas subsequently collaborated with PLN and the then-Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, to hold discussions, which revealed that waste issues remained unresolved due to complex regulations.

In addition to numerous requirements, waste management initiators are often hindered by convoluted regulations that pass responsibility from one ministry to another.

“It turns out that regulations are indeed significantly hindering programmes. I conveyed that all these are the President’s programmes; we are merely overseeing the implementation by Governors and Regents,” he said.

Ultimately, in a short period, the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, assisted by Danantara Indonesia, successfully finalised various cooperation agreements and selected Bali as the first location for the construction of the PSEL facility.