President Jokowi Commemorates Pancasila Day at Rokan Block as a Symbol of Energy Sovereignty

Jakarta, June 1, 2024 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) led the 2024 Pancasila Day commemoration ceremony at the Rokan Block. The ceremony, attended by thousands of participants, was held at the Garuda Field of Pertamina Hulu Rokan in Dumai on Saturday (1/6).

As it is known, the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) designated the Rokan Block as the location for the peak event of the 2024 Pancasila Day commemoration because it symbolizes the nation's energy resilience. It is expected to boost the spirit of nationalism, pride, and national unity.

In his speech, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), stated that we must actively reclaim the nation's strategic assets, manage them, and utilize them for the benefit of the people. One such asset is the Rokan Block in Riau, the site used for the Pancasila Day commemoration ceremony.

"After we took over the majority shares of Freeport, we then took over the Rokan Block, the most productive oil and gas block in Indonesian history, having been managed by foreign companies Caltex and Chevron for 97 years," said Jokowi.

According to Jokowi, the presence of Pancasila is hoped to free us from dependence on foreign parties.

"I received a report from the President Director of Pertamina that production at the Rokan Block has reached 162 thousand barrels per day. It is higher than during the transfer of management and accounts for 25 percent of the national production. Thus, the Rokan Block is the largest," added Jokowi.

Jokowi emphasized that Freeport and the Rokan Block takeovers are just small examples of our efforts towards political sovereignty and economic independence to implement Pancasila in real life by building an economy that serves national interests and stands on our strengths.

President Director of Pertamina, Nicke Widyawati, stated that the Rokan Block plays a crucial role in building national energy sovereignty, security, and independence.

"The Rokan Block is one of the national energy backbones that has been managed by Pertamina since 2021. As a state-owned enterprise, Pertamina conducts its energy business based on the noble values of Pancasila," said Nicke.

The Rokan Block, Nicke added, also symbolizes the spirit of nationalism, pride, and national unity. The Rokan Block, which was under foreign control for decades, has finally returned to the embrace of Indonesia.

"Pertamina and the nation's best human resources, has successfully managed the Rokan Block professionally according to world-class energy management standards. This is a source of pride and a symbol of the nation's sovereignty in the energy sector. As a nation, we could manage a large block and compete with global energy companies," added Nicke.

At the same time, Nicke continued, Pertamina must also manage energy equitably. The oil from oil and gas blocks must be processed to produce quality products and distributed fairly throughout the country.

Pertamina, as a leading company in the energy transition, is committed to supporting the Net Zero Emission 2060 target by continuously promoting programs that directly impact the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. All these efforts align with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) implementation across all Pertamina's business lines and operations.**