JAKARTA, March 15: Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan today led a Sarawak delegation to call on Indonesia’s Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) Arifin Tasrif.
The meeting came as part of the delegation’s two-day mission in Jakarta to meet Indonesian government officials to confirm the Sarawak government’s support for the development of the Mentarang Induk Hydrolectric Project (Mihep) through the participation of its wholly-owned company, Sarawak Energy Berhad via its joint venture (JV) company, PT Kayan Hydropower Nusantara (PT KHN).
In the meeting, Awang Tengah expressed Sarawak’s appreciation to MEMR for the continuous support and assistance given to Sarawak Energy and PT KHN as large hydropower is a complicated project and requires time, expertise, effort, cooperation and courage.
“Mihep is at an advanced stage of its preparation and as the ministry in-charge of energy, more advice and support will be sought from MEMR especially in the project’s application for principal permits under the ministry,” said Awang Tengah in a statement today.
He also mentioned that he was impressed with the Indonesian government for its ambitious plan to materialise the Tanah Kuning industrial area.
“Sarawak Energy’s experience in large hydropower and Indonesia’s Renewable Energy-Based Industrial Development (Rebid) agenda in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score) is an added advantage in Sarawak’s participation for the Tanah Kuning Green Energy Park, strengthening the upstream power development 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 coordination with the relevant ministries and agencies especially on permits,” he added.
Yesterday (March 14), Awang Tengah and the Sarawak delegation paid a courtesy visit to Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
The visit also saw the signing of Heads of Agreement (HoA) between Sarawak Energy, its JV company 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 Kalimantan Industrial Park Indonesia (Kipi) Tanah Kuning in support of the Indonesia’s Rebid agenda.
Sarawak’s participation in hydropower development in North Kalimantan builds on its long and successful partnership with Indonesian national utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), for Sarawak-West Kalimantan interconnection since 2016.
Also present among the Sarawak delegation were Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi; Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; and other government officials and representatives from Sarawak Energy. — DayakDaily
