Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia on Appeciation to Pagar Alam City for Green Energy Development, in Pagar Alam City, South Sumatra Province, January 24, 2022

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Good afternoon,
May prosperity be upon us all.

Honorable Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet who are attending with me, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Minister of Investment, and also Cabinet Secretary;

Honorable Governor of South Sumatra, Mayor and Vice Mayor of Pagar Alam City, Regent of Lahat Regency, CEOs, President Directors and Board of Directors of State-Owned Enterprises attending this event;

This afternoon, I am really happy to be in Pagar Alam City where 70 years ago Bung Karno (President Soekarno) had paid a visit to the city in 1952, here, at the same spot. Alhamdulillah.

Secondly, I am really happy for this afternoon’s event. We are aware that today the world is heading towards renewable energy.

All countries have started to plan to head towards green energy, be it solar energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, tidal energy, sea surface heat, or wind energy. All countries are getting there.

And our country, Indonesia, has a big potential for that. We have calculated that our new and renewable energies that are available approximately, I think the calculation is still not final yet, 418 thousand megawatts, be it from hydropower, geothermal energy, tidal energy, sea surface heat, wind energy, or solar energy. We have them all. It is just that we are already getting into fossil energy, using coal energy. Therefore, we need a transition to new and renewable energy.

Therefore, it is certainly good news that Pagar Alam City has started to use electricity from micro hydro power plant, which is really good, and 100 percent. The Governor mentioned that it uses 100 percent green energy.

Thus, what we need to do is to follow up on it in the future. This will be the first city with net zero emission if we can follow up on it. At the beginning, the electricity is used for household needs and other needs. Later, it can be used for electric vehicles, electric cars. Pagar Alam will be the first city in Indonesia to use green energy.

I have talked to Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Governor of South Sumatra, and also Mayor of Pagar Alam City to get this started. The Central Government will take its part to assist in areas that we can. Beside of its natural beauty, [the city] will be promoted with the brand of green energy.

I am sure that later insya Allah all people in Indonesia will pay attention to Pagar Alam City. A city with lush greenery, natural beauty, and new and renewable energy. The people will make the most of living with no pollution, and they would certainly want to live with no pollution.

That concludes my remarks on this auspicious occasion. Once again, I really appreciate what Pagar Alam City has done, and I want this to be followed up on later in order to realize a green city; a city with lush greenery, green energy, vehicles generated by new and renewable energy.

That concludes my remarks on this auspicious occasion. Thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(AW/MUR)