Former Minister Ignasius Jonan Visits Presidential Palace Amid Whoosh Debt Talks

8 hours ago 2

November 3, 2025 | 05:43 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Indonesian Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan visited the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, November 3, 2025, for a meeting arranged by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Jonan said he was unaware of the agenda and had not prepared any discussion materials.

"I don't know the agenda. It was the Cabinet Secretary who invited me," Jonan told reporters. When asked about the debt issues surrounding the Bandung-Jakarta high-speed rail project, known as Whoosh, he declined to comment.

The project, developed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), has faced ongoing financial challenges.

Jonan previously raised concerns in 2016 over whether the Bandung-Jakarta high-speed rail had met all requirements for the project, questioning whether the groundbreaking scheduled for January that year could proceed.

Jonan’s visit followed Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), who met with President Prabowo Subianto to discuss solutions for the high-speed rail’s debt.

AHY confirmed the topic would be a key point in the evening meeting, aimed at finding resolution options.

President Prabowo has instructed several ministers, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, as well as Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani, to explore options such as loan extensions to resolve the project’s financial issues.

The government is currently considering two main approaches: transferring the debt to the state or providing additional funding to state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia.

However, officials are pushing for Danantara to take the lead in negotiating with China.

Danantara Indonesia Chief Operating Officer Dony Oskaria confirmed that negotiations are ongoing.

"Danantara will continue discussions with the Chinese government regarding the loan period, interest rates, and currency arrangements," he said on October 23, 2025.

The Bandung-Jakarta high-speed rail, also called Whoosh, is a flagship infrastructure project aimed at linking the capital Jakarta with West Java’s Bandung city, significantly cutting travel time between the two cities.

Eka Yudha Saputra and Antara contributed to the writing of this article.

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