Prabowo vows safe, open climate for foreign investment

  President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to welcoming both domestic and foreign investment, pledging to maintain a safe, secure, and business-friendly environment for investors.

“We must support foreign investment and share the benefits together,” Prabowo said while inaugurating the Lotte Chemical Indonesia petrochemical plant in Cilegon, Banten, 

He said the steady inflow of foreign capital reflects global confidence in Indonesia’s economic prospects, citing Lotte’s multibillion-dollar project as proof that the country is seen as a trusted and stable investment destination.

“Investments like this are the result of years of effort from many stakeholders. We must protect them and ensure every investor feels secure and appreciated,” Prabowo said.

“They trust us, they bring benefits to us, and we must guarantee their safety,” he added.

The president emphasized that legal certainty and strong law enforcement are key to sustaining investor confidence. “Upholding the rule of law builds trust,” he said.

The newly launched Lotte Chemical Indonesia New Ethylene (LINE) plant, built with an investment of about US$4 billion, spans 107.8 hectares—or 1.08 million square meters—and is projected to produce 1,000 kilotons of ethylene annually.

The facility is also designed to manufacture 520 kilotons of propylene, 350 kilotons of polypropylene, 140 kilotons of butadiene, and 400 kilotons of benzene, toluene, and xylene per year. Tens of thousands of workers are expected to be employed at the site.

The Cilegon plant is Lotte Chemical’s fifth of its kind, following facilities in South Korea, Mexico, the United States, and Malaysia. It is also Indonesia’s first naphtha cracker plant in three decades.