Jakarta – Thursday, 28/9/2023. September 2023 has proven to be a month of significant achievements for Ir. Hj. Nur Saadah ST., M.Si., IPU., Asean Eng, the CEO of PT Saadah Mega Persada, as she has been honored with prestigious awards at national, ASEAN, and Asian levels.
Among these accolades is the “Best Inspiring and Creativity Women Award 2023” under the category of “The Best Inspiring, Leadership, Innovative, & Entrepreneur Women 2023” at the ASEAN level, held at Shangri-La Hotel on September 8, 2023.
Furthermore, on September 16, 2023, at the Hotel Grand Mercure Kemayoran Jakarta, she was bestowed with the “Women Entrepreneurs Award 2023” in the category of “The Best CEO 2023 Entrepreneur Women 2023.” Additionally, on September 22, 2023, at the Pullman Hotel & Resort Bandung, she received the “Best of The Best Award 2023” in the category of “The Best Women CEO 2023” at the Asian level, along with the “No 1 Trusted Company Excellent Award 2023” in the category of “Best Company in Electric Battery Manufacturing, LED Solar Lighting, & Electric Car Production of the Year 2023” in Surabaya.
On September 29, 2023, she is set to receive two more awards, namely the “Successful Women Award 2023” in the category of “Successful Women in Leadership Award 2023” and the “Executive Women Award 2023” at the Hotel Mercure Nusa Dua Bali.
Following the reception of these prestigious awards, she has been inundated with various invitations, including one from Mrs. Hj. Mundjidah Wahab (Regent of Jombang) to provide motivational talks for women across East Java at the Pendopo Kabupaten.
Moreover, she is scheduled to participate in a seminar on “Electric Vehicle Potential & Challenges in Indonesia,” where notable figures such as General (Ret.) TNI Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, MPA, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and Dr. (Hc). Ir. Budi Karya Sumadi, the Minister of Transportation, are expected to be present.
During the seminar, Nur Saadah shared her insights with the government on two fronts. Firstly, she envisioned Indonesia as the world’s largest electric battery producer, stressing the necessity of financial support for domestic private companies to ensure national control over the industry.
Previously, under her leadership, PT Saadah Mega Persada, mostly composed of engineers, including Nur Saadah herself with a background in Chemical Engineering, engaged in discussions with South Korea for the construction of an environmentally friendly electric battery plant utilizing coffee waste as its raw material.
This initiative has already been implemented in the Philippines and Australia, supported by government funding and private company involvement in the consortium. Secondly, she emphasized the importance of government subsidies for electric batteries.
While the government has provided subsidies for electric motorcycles and cars, subsidizing electric batteries, currently expensive, would enhance public purchasing power and accelerate the transition to electric batteries, which can be used for solar-powered lights, electric vehicles, and solar panels.
The high cost of electric batteries has hindered the public’s adoption of electric cars, as the unaffordable replacement of batteries becomes a concern when they deplete. Consequently, there has been a resurgence in traditional electric lighting from solar-powered lights on streets, as battery replacements every two years and a lack of knowledge or skills for battery replacement present challenges.
In her opinion, government support akin to the power bank industry is necessary, enabling battery charging inside cars when they deplete, ensuring a comfortable electric vehicle experience.
Furthermore, widespread education about the importance of environmental conservation due to global warming through transitioning to electric batteries is crucial, extending from villages to provinces, similar to the transition from kerosene to gas.
Initially met with apprehension due to safety concerns, gas is now widely accepted, echoing the potential acceptance of electric batteries. She strongly supports government programs aligned with her thesis on global warming during her studies at UGM, for which she received the “Best Future Student at the National Level” award from the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia and was invited to the Presidential Palace to meet the President and Ministers.
