Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Groundbreaking of Bali International Hospital in Denpasar City, Bali Province, 27 December 2021

Om Swastiastu,

Assalaamu’alaikum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh,

Good morning,

May peace be upon us all.

Distinguished Coordinating Minister, Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet and all Vice Ministers in attendance, Governor of Bali province, Mayor of Denpasar, Commissioners and Directors of State-Owned Enterprises in attendance, Public Figures,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank God, this morning we will begin the construction of Bali International Hospital, which will be carried out in cooperation with Mayo Clinic from [the United States of] America. We hope it will be a Health Special Economic Zone (KEK).

We hope none—if it has been built—none of our people will go abroad to get health care services. Because we are aware that each year, approximately two million of our people go abroad to get health care services, be it to Singapore, to Malaysia, to Japan, to [the United States of] America, or to other countries, and we lose Rp97 trillion because of that. Therefore, I highly appreciate this initiative and today [the construction] will begin. It was initiated by Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Pak Erick Thohir and all of his team.

And once again, we hope that after the construction of Bali International Hospital is finished, no Indonesian will go abroad, everyone will go to Bali. And Bali will be a destination for health tourism and it will boost, increase the number of tourists in Bali island. We hope none of our people will go abroad. Instead, foreigners will come to Indonesia to get health care services because we have cooperation with Mayo Clinic that is already very well known.

That concludes my statement on this auspicious occasion. Once again, I highly appreciate, respect [the initiative] and we hope by mid-2023, the hospital construction can be completed and [the hospital] is ready for operation.

My hope is the same as what Minister of State-Owned Enterprises said, that it must not stop at hospitals. We must not import medical devices, medicines, or raw materials for medicines anymore. We must stop importing those goods and we must produce them in our own country.

That concludes my statement this morning. And by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, this morning, I hereby declare the groundbreaking of Bali International Hospital begin.

I thank you.

Wassalaamu’alaikum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh.

Om santi santi santi om.

(DH/MMB)