Opening Remarks of President of the Republic Indonesia at the 50th Anniversary of the Indonesian Association of Urban and Regional Planners (IAP) from Merdeka Palace, DKI Jakarta Province, April 17, 2023
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
May peace be upon us all,
Om Swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue.
Honorable Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet,
Honorable Chairperson and Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Association of Urban and Regional Planners (IAP),
Honorable Board of Trustees, Board of Advisors and Provincial Executive Board, Urban and Regional Planners all over Indonesia,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me extend a happy 50th anniversary to the big family of the Indonesian Association of Urban and Regional Planners (IAP).
I am confident that for half a century, the IAP has contributed to the communities, the nation, and the state. The IAP has also contributed in making good planning at city-level, region-level, and state-level. The IAP has also provided planning guides that are included in spatial planning at regency-level, city-level, provincial-level, and national-level. Therefore, I would like to say thank you.
Amid the changing world, upward trend of urbanization, and also complex public needs, the challenges we face in making planning will be more complex. The development of science and technology is needed to follow and, in the meantime, social condition, cultural condition, community economic condition also need to be considered in order to create a better life for the people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are aware that planning is neither just building buildings nor just building skyscrapers; rather, it is building an environment. Planning is building a place of life that can positively affect public health, social interaction, cultural roots, economic efficiency, and life comfort so all significantly affect citizens’ happiness and creativity.
Planning must also take into account the culture of society, the history, community economic structure, and other various aspects. Do not let it alienate the community in their own villages. Do not let it cause traffic congestion, increase living costs make life and unhealthier. Do not let it consist of plans that are not integrated with citizens’ basic needs.
For example, the terms of smart city and smart home have become very popular lately. Smart city is simply often defined as smart digital city. It is just defined as a city that is digitally connected and automatically implemented by the Internet of Things (IoT) and other digital devices. Similarly, a smart home is simply often defined as a home that is digitally and automatically connected to IoT. We can automatically open the doors, open the curtains, turn on the lights, even we can automatically cook and control it remotely. Home users are spoilt by devices and all-automated work systems that were remotely controlled.
Nevertheless, I would like to make some notes about this. I would like to advise that the fundamental aspect of a smart city should be a smart design. The fundamental aspect of a smart city is a smart design that affects the perfect comfort for citizens and is also supported by digital devices that can improve community comfort. The coverage areas are expected to widen, from smart cities to smart provinces, from smart provinces to the national level of smart Indonesia that has smart design; culturally smart, socially smart, and economically smart. Then it is also supported by technology including IoT automation that improve citizens’ happiness.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Indonesia must have its own characteristic in making urban or regional planning. We have to learn from other countries. Do not just copy cut spatial planning of other countries. Thus, environmental aspect, social aspect, cultural aspect, and economic aspect must be considered in the planning. Things that I order to plan maturely are how we can build an inclusive and open city for all citizens; how we design safety and comfort streets and roads for pedestrians, cyclists, motorist; how we design non-exclusive shopping centers; how we design offices and residents that are not too far away; and how we design a city that secures the river and makes its citizens love the river.
House overlooking the river, for the example, can be one of the alternatives that should be included in planning. Urban and regional planning that is well-designed will significantly contribute to the quality of life of the communities, the environment, as well as economic, social, and cultural activities, and also the image of Indonesia in the international level.
Let us transform cities in Indonesia into smart cities that begin with a smart design. Let us transform provinces in Indonesia into smart provinces that also begin with a smart design. Let us design the new capital in East Kalimantan into a city and a region that has a smart design that can become the pioneer city in the world. Last but not least, together let us make Indonesia a smart Indonesia.
That concludes my speech.
And by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim hereby I open officially the 50th Anniversary of the IAP.
I thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. (AP/MEP)