Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Ready to Become Major Player in Electric Vehicle Industry: Minister | 900 of Homestays Ready for Tourists during MotoGP 2021 in Indonesia’s Lombok Island | Jakarta Exte

KOMPAS.com - Indonesia’s State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Erick Thohir has affirmed the country's readiness to become a major player in the electric vehicle battery industry.

Erick said that he will have a meeting with the US automaker Tesla representatives next month to further discuss possible cooperation in the electric vehicle industry.

Meanwhile, 900 units of houses belong to villagers in the island of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara have been renovated for homestays in support of the Mandalika MotoGP in 2021.

The total budget for the renovation program reaches 62.23 billion rupiahs ($4.3 million).
Below are excerpts from the news in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

1. Indonesia Ready to Become Major Player in the Electric Vehicle Industry: Minister

Indonesia’s State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Erick Thohir has affirmed the country's readiness to become a major player in the electric vehicle battery industry.

To achieve the goal, Erick ordered the state electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to improve its services and change the business strategy.

“Alhamdulillah [Praise be to God], PLN is on the right track and it has also participated in the BUMN consortium in collaboration with companies from Korea and China to produce electric vehicle battery,” Erick said in a statement on Saturday, January 2.

“Insya Allah [God willing] I will have a meeting with Tesla [the US automaker] in February to further discuss this cooperation,” he said during an event to test drive an electric vehicle in Bali.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/03/130216574/indonesia-ready-to-become-major-player-in-electric-vehicle-industry-minister