President Jokowi Opens Adkasi National Meeting

President Jokowi accompanied by Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung opened the 5th Indonesian Regional House of Representatives Association (Adkasi) National Meeting (Munas), at the Pullman Hotel, Jakarta, on Thursday (17/12)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo asserted that the success of national or regional development is very determined by the cooperation or synergy between central and regional Governments, between governor and Provincial House of Representatives (DPRD), as well as between the regent/mayor and Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) at regency and city levels.

“The synergy could run effectively if we have the same paradigm, same understanding and mindset about our objective,” President Jokowi said in his remarks at the 5^th Indonesian Regional House of Representatives Association (Adkasi) National Meeting (Munas), at the Upperroom of Pullman Hotel, Jakarta, on Thursday (17/12) morning.

According to the President, Indonesia must have the same heading and objection of the development, as well as the indicators of success of the development.

He also said that the country can not have different objection, step and measure if we already worked hard. That will make resources that we have allocated ineffective and inefficient.

“I want to stress on several points that must become the attention of the members of Adkasi. The regional development planning must in line with national development planning. We could not let the national development planning is heading to the North, meanwhile the regional development planning is heading to the South, West or East. This is very dangerous,” President Jokowi said.

The President also said that the development program must be integrated among regencies, cities, and provinces without initiating the different conditions in the areas.

The President mentioned the measure of regional performance connection must refer to 5 important indicators. First is the economic growth, second is the inflation rate, third is gini ratio, fourth is poverty rate, and fifth is unemployment rate and the opening of job opportunities.

Regarding the first indicator, the President reminded that economic growth must be in line with inflation rate.

If the country’s economic growth is 5 percent but our inflation rate is 8 percent, he added, it means Indonesia is short of 3 percent.

“People often forget about the inflation. We must pay attention to it, if our economic growth rises, but inflation rate is more than the economic growth, it means our economy shows a minus,” President Jokowi said while taking an analogy that people has money but when the price of goods increase, then purchasing power will decrease.

Responding to the request of Adkasi Chairman Salehudin to approve the Draft on Government Regulations (RPP), the President answered that the RPP would be decided soon, but until now the President still has not received the RPP.

The 5^th Indonesian Regional House of Representatives Association (Adkasi) National Meeting (Munas), which adopts the theme “Developing Indonesia from the Regions”, was attended by the 417 Speakers of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) at regency level, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung. (FID/OJI/ES) (RAS/EP/YM/Naster)