Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Inauguration of Papua Youth Creative Hub (PYCH) at Jayapura City, Papua Province, March 21, 2023

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Good morning,
May prosperity be upon us all,
Shalom.

Distinguished Ministers of Indonesia Onward Cabinet, Chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), Chief of the National Police, Governor, Regional Heads Coordination Forum, Regents, Mayors;

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning!

This morning I feel very proud because the Government can realize the request of 23 young Papuans at the State Palace that time to have a space for empowerment, to improve the quality of human resources. Today we can witness the launch of the Papua Youth Creative Hub in Jayapura.

I told BIN Chief, this is the first in the country and in Papua. I ordered him to also build similar hub in provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, West Papua, Maluku, and Aceh starting this year so it can be completed next year. Imitate everything here, just copy it. It is already very good.

I am surprised to see that they have everything here in the PYCH, from cellphones making, laptops making, podcast studio, music studio, photography studio, and also exhibition of Papua local products with outstanding packaging and branding. If this continues, young people in other provinces will possibly be left behind by young people in Papua. There are designers for traditional Papuan clothes. They design and color the clothes so that the products are unique and distinct. I was amazed by things here.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are aware that our country will experience a demographic bonus in 2035. Most of Indonesia’s population is of productive age. In Papua alone, there will be 2.6 million people or approximately 60 percent of the population of Papua and West Papua will be young people. They need a platform, need job opportunities. And, don’t think all of them want to be civil servants.

So, I’m glad that there are people working in fashion, in music, in photography, in application platform technology, and so on. This is very good, meaning that these opportunities are filled by the young people. There are farms, there are fisheries. We even saw earlier, Maria, who raises chickens, already has more than 2,000 chickens, she has bred more than 2,000 chickens.

Anyone here who wants to raise chicken? Who? Come on stage.

So once again, I would like to reiterate that Indonesia’s current development is not Java-centric, but Indonesia-centric. Papua is a priority for our development. Let’s take a look starting from the infrastructure: we have built 3,462 kilometers of the Trans Papua road in Papua, 1,098 kilometers of roads on the border area in Papua, the 1.3 kilometer Youtefa Bridge in Jayapura, we also have revamped the terminal of Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong, we will build an airport in Wamena, Jayawijaya. Then also, cross-border development in three locations: Skouw, Sota, and Yetetkun in Boven Digoel. We have finished everything.

Those are the developments that have been carried out here from 2014 to 2022. The Government has spent an enormous amount of money from the central, provincial, district and city budget amounting to Rp1,036 trillion. This money is a huge money. Therefore, I ask the people of Papua to watch over, to guard, to keep an eye on it. Do not let the projects go to waste.  Be careful about corruption because corruption has become a threat of all provinces in developing the regions. Once again, I ask to be constantly guarded, to be monitored, because there is so much money had been spent in Papua.

Back to the chicken farm. What is your name?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Shalom. Good afternoon, Mr. President, my name is Hermin Rachel Makanuay.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Hermin.

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
You want to raise chicken, cow or goat?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
I want to be a fashion designer, as I was a Putri Indonesia alumni from Papua province.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Putri Indonesia alumni.

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Do you want to have a chicken farm?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Yes, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
You want to be a designer or farmer?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
A designer, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
I only ask people who want to be a farmer to come on stage.

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Okay, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
But now you say you want to be a designer.

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Because I want to be an entrepreneur.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Designer?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
What kind of designer?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
From my experience, fashion industry in Papua is very limited. If we take part in a national event, we have to go to Jakarta and rent dresses or evening gowns in Jakarta and the costs are very expensive.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
In the fashion room earlier, I see that the design is really extraordinary, there really is a power of differentiation there. I immediately took pictures too. It’s very nice, combining the pattern with traditional Papuan patterns, then mixed with nice choice of colors, very nice.

I have also ordered Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy to hold a street carnival in Jayapura later in July. The products here are very good and should be displayed. The public must know, the Indonesian people must know that there is a great power here in fashion industry, but it needs support.

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
If there is an opportunity, I want to be a designer.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
And then?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
I ask for your suggestion…

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
As I am not a designer, I cannot give you any advice and suggestion. Let Minister Sandiaga Uno and BIN Chief do it.

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
Thank you. God bless you.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Ok. Next, what is your name?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Good afternoon. My name is Stella Riana Woromboni from Nabire Moor ethnicity. I would like to have a chicken farm in Nabiner.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Your name? Stella?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Stella Riana Woromboni.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Do you already have a chicken farm?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Not yet. I used to try fish farming but failed.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Now you want to try chicken farming?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
You want to raise chicken?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
What do you have in mind about chicken farming?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
In a farm there is around 10,000 chickens.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Start from a small amount first.

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
It is only my dream, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
First, have 50 chickens, later increased to 300 chickens, 5,000 chickens and 100,000 chickens.  Start small. If you start big you might be failed and suffer big loss. Be careful, take it slow, everything needs process. It’s impossible to jump right away.

I also became president after becoming mayor twice, then governor once. It’s the same thing, I’ll leave you to BIN Chief. They will train and immediately give you chickens as well.

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
In Meepago, Nabire.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
I tell you, do not start big. Start small first, around 100-200 chickens.

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Do you want to visit Nabire later if I already have big farm?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
I will go there. What is your name?

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Stella, Pak.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
If you already have 100,000 chickens, I will visit.

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Okay, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
It surely needs hard works to jump from 50 to 100,000 chickens.

Stella Riana Woromboni (Papuan Youth)
Okay. Thank you.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
You’re welcome. No one wants to take the bike?

Hermin Rachel Makanuay (Papuan Youth)
May I, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Yes, please. You can take the bike. It is my present as written there “Gift from President Jokowi”.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Why are we building the Papua Youth Creative Hub? We want to give opportunities to the young people who are creative, have innovation, have a great desire in the fashion industry, in the creative industry, in animal husbandry, in the fishery. All of them have opportunities. I see big opportunities in Papua. Papua is still too big for young people to enter. And, we hope that this hub will improve welfare and create progress for the people of Papua.

I conclude my remarks. With the grace of God Almighty, this morning I inaugurate the Papua Youth Creative Hub and I launch the innovation products of the Papua Youth Creative Hub in Jayapura, Papua Province.

I thank you.
God bless us all.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(EST/MUR)