Trade Minister: Proton MoU is Purely Business

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo's state visit to Malaysia receives remarks from a number of people. On the sidelines his visit, the president also attended the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) former chief A.M. Hendropriyono's company PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari and Malaysian automaker Proton Holding Berhad.

Responding to assumptions that Jokowi's presence in the MoU signing hints that the deal is part of the national car (mobnas) program, Industry Minister Saleh Husin firmly stated that the Proton MoU is purely a private-to-private business deal.

"There is no involvement of the government, either through the state budget or through a state-owned enterprise. So, once again, it is purely a private-to-private deal," Saleh said on Sunday, February 8.

There is nothing unusual about Joko Widodo's attendance in the signing ceremony, Saleh said. A president commonly attends these kinds of events as a way of showing the government's appreciation to private companies that open opportunities for cooperation with partners from neighboring countries.

WAHYU MURYADI