Investment Minister and Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Bahlil Lahadalia alleged that one of the presidential candidates had been lobbied by foreign entities to remove the nickel ore export ban.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has enforced the nickel ore export ban since 2020 to enhance domestic downstream processing. Bahlil said there had been attempts by certain countries and blocs including China, the European Union, the United States and Japan, to persuade the president to resume the export.

“Since [they] couldn’t lobby President Jokowi, Luhut or myself, they lobbied the presidential candidates to reopen nickel ore exports,” Bahlil said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“Therefore, you can make your own conclusions regarding those who genuinely prioritize national interests.”

He said nickel had the potential to boost the country’s development in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, particularly electric car batteries.

Bahlil said that following Indonesia’s introduction of a nickel ore export ban in 2020, the EU enacted laws and regulations which stipulate that a battery manufacturing plant must be built near a car manufacturing plant.

“The resource-rich countries, [which are] the suppliers for automobile raw materials, do not have battery factories. That’s where the competition lies,” he added.

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