‘Like Kennedys and Bushes’: Indonesia president-elect Prabowo’s family business empire draws parallels, concerns

BULUNGAN, Indonesia: In the heart of North Kalimantan’s lush wooded field, a helicopter touched down on May furthermore 30, bearing a utterly different visitor as it blew mud into the eyes of nearby safety personnel.

Dressed in a inexperienced and blue batik shirt, industry magnate and younger brother of incoming president Prabowo Subianto, Mr Hashim Djojohadikusumo, landed in Bulungan regency with big plans.

Visiting the positioning of the deliberate Kayan Cascade, Mr Hashim expressed passion in investing in the mission that can be Southeast Asia’s supreme hydropower space after its deliberate completion date in 2035.

It objectives to comprise a capability of 9,000 megawatts by counting on the water of the Kayan river, one among Kalimantan’s supreme rivers.

“This mission will now no longer handiest present a shipshape and sustainable vitality source but will furthermore aid local economic growth and present most predominant advantages to the surrounding community,” Mr Hashim acknowledged to reporters on his focus on over with.

“I’ve been in investing in renewable, inexperienced vitality for a while,” he added.

“This shipshape, inexperienced vitality mission is what the field is after. I am hoping all events will strengthen this very strategic mission.”

As soon as done, the hydropower plant is slated to provide electricity now no longer handiest to other folks in North Kalimantan but furthermore to Indonesia’s deliberate new capital, Nusantara, in eastern Kalimantan, some 430km away.

PT Kayan Hydro Vitality, the firm in the aid of the mission, is shopping for traders for the US$17.8 billion initiative, following withdrawals from world companions, China Power and Sumitomo.

Chinese language reveal-owned challenge China Power’s withdrawal used to be attributable to pandemic-related restrictions, while the termination of Jap procuring and selling firm Sumimoto’s relationship with PT Kayan Hydro Vitality used to be introduced in May furthermore.