Fatal Blast in Indonesia Puts Battery Metal Ambitions in Spotlight Ahead of Presidential Vote
- Morowali disaster may be a flashpoint in the presidential race
- Nation relies on foreign investment, particularly from China
A deadly explosion at a Chinese-owned facility in Indonesia has highlighted the hidden costs of Jakarta’s ambitious bet on battery metal processing to accelerate industrial development, a signature policy of outgoing leader Joko Widodo.
The 21 fatalities at Tsingshan Holding Group’s plant at Morowali on the island of Sulawesi, just weeks ahead of a presidential election, have triggered worker protests, anger on social media, and calls for tighter regulation of a sector that has underpinned the president’s plan to shift Indonesia from ore exporter to electric vehicle hub. The disaster has also prompted the government to demand action from China to improve its smelting operations in the country.