BALINEWSID.COM, JAKARTA — Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Yuliot has underscored the importance of continuing the policy legacy of Indonesia’s former mining and energy ministers in managing the country’s energy and natural resources sectors.

Yuliot made the remarks while leading a pilgrimage and flower-laying ceremony at the graves of former Ministers of Mining and Energy at the Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta on Tuesday (September 29, 2026). The ceremony was held as part of the 81st anniversary of Indonesia’s Mining and Energy sector.

Yuliot said the former ministers had left behind not only a historical record but also policies and unfinished work that needed to be continued by the current generation of energy policymakers.

“Many of these ministers left behind legacies as well as work that needs to be continued,” Yuliot said after the ceremony.

He explained that Indonesia’s mining and energy sector had developed gradually over the years. Management initially focused on oil and natural gas before expanding into coal and mineral resources.

Each minister, he said, had contributed to the development of policies in response to the challenges of their respective periods.

One of the figures highlighted by Yuliot was Subroto, who served as Minister of Mining and Energy from 1978 to 1988. According to Yuliot, Subroto played an important role in laying the foundations for several policies that later developed within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Yuliot identified three key legacies of Subroto: strengthening the ministry’s organizational development, emphasizing state control and national interests in natural resources, particularly oil and gas, and promoting energy conservation programs.

Subroto’s contribution also extended to the international level, where he later served as Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Yuliot also highlighted energy subsidy policies implemented during the tenure of former Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh. At the time, subsidies were implemented through two schemes: an open subsidy for fuel and a targeted, closed subsidy scheme for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

“The effort to make subsidies more targeted also began during Mr. Darwin’s tenure. This is what we see as the continuity of policies introduced by previous ministers,” Yuliot said.

As the Mining and Energy sector marks its 81st anniversary, the government continues to focus on meeting national energy needs while maintaining the sustainability of natural resources.

The policy foundations established by previous leaders remain part of Indonesia’s broader approach to managing the energy sector, including efforts to address energy supply challenges through resource utilization, conservation, and energy diversification.

Yuliot said policy continuity was essential to ensure that energy management not only addressed current needs but also took into account the interests of future generations.