Private exporters are also concerned about losing business flexibility that has allowed them to compete internationally for years.
Furthermore, experts argue that underinvoicing problems are more complex than simply deciding who controls exports.
Price manipulation often involves transfer pricing schemes, multinational ownership structures, and tax haven jurisdictions.
Without stronger tax supervision, integrated export data systems, and transparent ownership regulations, the same problems could continue under different mechanisms.
The Future of Indonesia’s Export Governance
Ultimately, the success of Indonesia’s Export SOE will depend not on the size of its authority, but on the quality of its governance.
If managed professionally and transparently, the institution could strengthen Indonesia’s economic sovereignty and maximize the benefits of its natural resources.
However, if governance fails, Indonesia risks replacing foreign commodity traders with a new domestic oligarchy.
What remains undeniable is that the government is finally addressing a long-standing issue: the leakage of export profits from Indonesia’s natural resource sector.
As one of the world’s largest commodity producers, Indonesia is seeking a bigger share of the wealth generated from its own resources.
The challenge now is ensuring that reform does not create a new monopoly problem in the process.