REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has encouraged the development of the electric car industry in the integrated economic area of Bekasi-Karawang-Purwakarta in West Java. He noted at a seminar and exhibition of electric cars here on Tuesday that the area is strategically located close to Patimban Port and Kertajati Airport.
"With the development of Patimban, in addition to Kertajati, all industrial products from the area will be released through (the ports). We want to develop electric cars, so that the automotive industry in this country would not be dominated by one producer. Some 90 percent of the cars in Indonesia are Japanese-make," he remarked.
The minister noted that the government will provide fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to investors, and Indonesia will benefit from the products' added value.
He noted that the government had continued to encourage the development of the nation's electric cars in line with its commitment to support clean energy as an implementation of the 2015 Conference of Parties 21 on climate change in Paris.
Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto has confirmed that the government will provide tax holiday to encourage the development of electric cars, including its battery.
According to Airlangga, the Finance Ministry is expected to issue the regulation on tax holiday in August.
"Industry that invests in electric automotive and its battery would receive a tax holiday," he added.