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Sudirman kills rumors of resignation over Masela spat
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Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said (center), accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung (left) and Maluku Governor Said Assagaff (right), speaks at a press conference after a limited Cabinet meeting on the Masela block gas on Feb. 1. After a seven-month spat with Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli on the Masela gas block development, which ended in Rizal’s "victory", Sudirman refuted rumors of his resignation. (ANTARA FOTO/Widodo S Jusuf)
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fter a seven-month spat with Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli on the Masela gas block development, which ended with a “victory” for Rizal, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said has refuted rumors of his resignation.
“I still have a lot of work to do. I think we need to perform state duties as well as possible. No thought about it [resignation] at all,” Sudirman said in Jakarta on Friday.
Speculation about the minister’s resignation emerged after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday put an end to seven months of arguing in the Cabinet over development options for the Masela block in the Arafuru Sea. The President opted for an onshore liquefied national gas (LNG) plant, stressing the decision was based on the expected economic benefits to the local community.
According to the initial plan of development (POD) submitted by the investors to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, a floating LNG plant was to be built to process gas from the block. However, Rizal Ramli wanted the LNG Plan to be built onshore in Maluku, which sparked the argument.
At a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday, Sudirman asserted that he remained neutral in the discussion on the block’s development amid pros and cons of the onshore and offshore options.
“This is public policy. The best decision that benefits the welfare of the community must be chosen,” he added.
He also urged the Upstream Oil and Gas Special Task Force (SKK Migas) to immediately follow up the decision by returning the POD proposed by the two contractors, Inpex and Shell, and urged them to reassess the development based on the onshore scheme decided by the President.
Aside from further communication with the two investors, Sudirman also called on SKK Migas to maintain close communication with the regional government to avoid further disagreements. (ags)
