Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka have officially been sworn in as President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia after taking their oaths during the Plenary Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) of the Republic of Indonesia at the Nusantara Building, Senayan, Jakarta, on October 20, 2024. Under the vision “Together, Advancing Indonesia Towards a Golden Indonesia 2024,” this new administration is committed to fulfilling eight strategic missions, Asta Cita, including the energy and natural resource (SDA) sectors.

The National Coordinator of Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia, Aryanto Nugroho, urges Prabowo-Gibran and their Merah Putih Cabinet to prioritize improving governance in the energy and natural resource sectors in alignment with the mandate of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution, which states that natural resources must be used for the greatest prosperity of the people.

Aryanto explained that PWYP’s recommendations for the new administration reflect on the governance performance of the energy and natural resource sectors under the previous leadership. They also aim to address the looming climate crisis, which, if left unchecked, could trigger larger crises, including food insecurity and social inequality. “At least three main priorities must be addressed: the climate crisis through the acceleration of a just energy transition; strengthening democracy in governance, enhancing oversight, and enforcing laws in the energy and natural resource sectors,” Aryanto emphasized.

Accelerating a just energy transition is essential. Efforts to tackle the climate crisis must begin by reducing and phasing out the use of fossil fuels. In his inaugural speech shortly after taking his oath, President Prabowo mentioned energy self-sufficiency, optimizing palm oil to produce diesel and gasoline, and using other crops such as cassava, sugarcane, sago, corn, and more. He also mentioned geothermal and coal as pillars of energy self-sufficiency.

“We are very concerned that President Prabowo may be trapped in ‘false solutions’ that will extend dependence on fossil fuels, particularly coal, or lead to deforestation and land clearing. This must be avoided,” Aryanto stressed.

The importance of transparency and accountability is undeniable, significantly as the space for civil society is shrinking. “Democracy must be restored. The government must create a safe space for public involvement in decision-making,” he added.

In addition, PWYP Indonesia highlights the need for digitalizing permits, complemented by strict supervision and regulatory certainty to ensure business compliance. To strengthen oversight integrity, PWYP Indonesia also proposes the establishment of a law enforcement directorate within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Furthermore, the human rights principle in managing natural resources must be upheld. The era of energy transition presents opportunities to utilize nickel and other critical minerals sustainably. “Extraction must align with environmental protection and community rights, including protecting indigenous peoples; safeguarding sensitive ecosystems (no-go zones); defending livelihoods; mainstreaming GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion); and promoting the enforcement of the ‘People before Profit’ principle and FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent),” he explained.

Finally, Aryanto emphasized that efforts to add value must maximize benefits for Indonesia. “We hope that each step in downstream the energy sector will create investment, technology transfer, and jobs based on principles of justice, equality, transparency, and accountability.”

PWYP Indonesia is a civil society coalition with 31 member organizations at the national and regional levels. It works to improve governance in the energy and natural resource sectors. Established in 2007, PWYP Indonesia became a legally recognized entity in 2012 as the Extractive Resource Transparency Foundation.

PWYP Indonesia focuses on advancing transparency and accountability in the governance of energy and natural resources in Indonesia and globally. They advocate for public interest from a civil society perspective, strengthen civil society’s capacity to play a key role, and actively engage in energy and natural resource governance reforms for fair and sustainable development.

Contact:

Aryanto Nugroho – PWYP Indonesia
aryanto@pwypindonesia.org