Infrastructure Development Paramount to Compete With Our Neighbors: Jokowi
Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in a speech on Wednesday (15/11) spoke of infrastructure as a "fundamental foundation" for the country to compete with its neighbors, and said that having a "big vision" and a long-term plan to develop the country is of utmost importance.
"We are a big country, with big potentials. But we are far behind our neighbors [...] why are we building a lot of new infrastructure? Because trying to compete with other countries is impossible without the right infrastructure," Jokowi said during a speech at the National Democratic Party’s (Nasdem) sixth anniversary event in Jakarta.
Since taking office in 2014, Jokowi’s administration has been obsessing over Indonesia’s infrastructure development, with targets set for 2019 to build toll roads, dams, power plants and transportation hubs.
This includes a new Trans-Papua road in Papua and West Papua, Makassar New Port in South Sulawesi and Kuala Tanjung Port in North Sumatra.
According to Jokowi, these projects are part of the government’s effort to compete with its neighbors and to create equality and social justice across the archipelago.
"Do we have to wait for Papua’s economy to grow before we can build roads there? I don’t think so. We build the roads because we are more than certain their economy will grow," Jokowi said.
The president spoke optimistically of Indonesia’s progress in developing its infrastructure and human resources, emphasizing the need for a "big vision" to decide which projects must be prioritized, and to devise a long-term plan.
Jokowi also explained his plan to boost Indonesians' — especially low-income earners' — purchasing power using the so-called "village funds."
Next year, the government's "Padat Karya Cash" program will use the funds through ministries — including the Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry and the Transportation Ministry — to create more jobs.
During the event, Nasdem also nominated Jokowi as the party’s candidate in the 2019 presidential election.
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