JAKARTA: The Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan today leads the Sarawak delegation to meet Indonesia’s Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), Arifin Tasrif.
The meeting was part of the two-day mission in Jakarta to meet the Government of Indonesia to confirm Sarawak Government’s support for the development of the Mentarang Induk Hydroelectric Project (MIHEP) through the participation of its wholly owned company, Sarawak Energy via its joint venture company (JVCo), PT Kayan Hydropower Nusantara (PT KHN).
In the meeting, Awang Tengah has expressed Sarawak’s appreciation to MEMR for the continuous support and assistance given to Sarawak Energy and PT KHN as large-scale hydropower development requires a lot of time, expertise, effort, cooperation, and courage.
He said MIHEP was at an advanced stage of its preparation and his ministry would need more advice and support from MEMR, especially in the project’s application for principal permits under the ministry.
“I am impressed with the Government of Indonesia for the ambitious plan to materialize the Tanah Kuning Industrial area. Sarawak Energy’s experience in large hydropower and REBID in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) is an added advantage in Sarawak’s participation for Tanah Kuning Green Energy Park, strengthening the power development upstream of the industrial park.
“We understand the urgency of the project to deliver reliable, sustainable energy to Tanah Kuning on time, and moving forward, more support will be needed from MEMR, which includes the coordination with the relevant ministries and agencies especially on permitting,” he said.
On Monday (March 14), Awnang Tengah and the Sarawak delegation also paid a courtesy visit to Indonesia Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, which also saw the signing of Heads of Agreement (HoA) between Sarawak Energy, joint venture company (JVCo) companies; PT Kayan Patria Pratama (PT KPP) and PT Adaro.
The HOA will see Sarawak Energy (under Sarawak Energy Services) and PT KPP (under Kayan Investama Internasional) as the shareholders of PT KHN developing a partnership with PT Adaro to take part in the MIHEP development.
The partnership would develop MIHEP as the renewable energy supply to KIPI Tanah Kuning in support of the Government of Indonesia Renewable Energy-Based Industrial Development (REBID) agenda.
Sarawak’s participation in hydropower development in North Kalimantan builds on Sarawak’s long and successful partnership with PLN, for Sarawak-West Kalimantan interconnection since 2016.
Also present among the Sarawak state delegation were Sarawak Minister of Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Sarawak Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, other government officials and representatives from Sarawak Energy.
