President Jokowi: Equal Development is Needed to Face Global Competition

President Jokowi delivers a remarks in a meeting with Indonesian diaspora and Indonesian citizens living in South Korea, on Sunday (15/5), at the Lotte Hotel, Seoul

Starting his working visit in Seoul, South Korea, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on Sunday (15/5) evening local time met Indonesian diaspora and Indonesian citizens living in South Korea.

In a meeting held at the Crystal Ballroom, Lotte Hotel, the President reasserted that Indonesia is now competing with other countries.

“Not only individual competition, but also competition among countries. However, whatever the challenges are, I always tell bureaucrats and (regional) governments in our country to be optimistic that we can improve,” the President said.

The competition, the President added, is needed to improve the country.

The President took an example when state-owned enterprises such as BRI and Pertamina have improved and gained more profits when they face their competitors.

“Competition makes us learn and understand how to manage an industry so that it will lead to a better result. The Government also needs to prepare several measures that are needed by the people and industry to compete,” the President said.

An equal development, the President emphasized, is one of things needed to face global competition.

Therefore, the President added, the current development in Indonesia is not only centered in Java Island, but spread throughout Indonesia as well.

“Do not only focus on Java Island because other regions outside Java also need the infrastructures. The most important thing is to carry out development first,” the President took an example of the construction of Trans Sumatra Toll Road which has been started in Lampung and will be finished in North Sumatra, as well as the construction of railway in Sulawesi.

President Jokowi asserted that he sets targets to all his Working Cabinet Ministers to quickly complete their works.

“Implement and start it, I will check it regularly. Therefore, deliver the problem when I visit a region to monitor some works. If there is a problem on land acquisition, I will call related minister and ask why it takes long time in land acquisition process. If there is no progress when I check it again, the Minister will be replaced. It will be easy if there is no target,” President Jokowi said.

The meeting was attended by 1,300 Indonesian citizens including 1,080 Indonesian migrant Workers (TKI), 250 students, and 20 Indonesian citizens married to South Korean Nationals.

Accompanying the President in the event were Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Head of Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Franky Sibarani, Head of Creative Economy Agency Triawan Munaf, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman Agus Rahardjo, and Indonesian Ambassador to South Korea John A. Prasetio. (GUN/UN) (RAS/EP/YM/Naster)