Border Areas Represent Nation’s Image: President Jokowi

President Joko Widodo beats tifa drum to inaugurate Sota Integrated Border Post (PLBN) located in Sota District, Merauke Regency, Papua, Sunday (10/03). Source: YouTube Channel of Presidential Secretariat.

Indonesia must continue to develop its border areas, for they represent the image of the nation, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.

“Border areas are the front line of Indonesia that represent the image of the nation. We must continue to develop these border areas so that they reflect Indonesia’s progress and give pride to our people,” President Jokowi said at the inauguration of Sota Integrated Border Post (PLBN) located in Sota District, Merauke Regency, Papua Province, Sunday (10/03).

According to the President, he has ordered the rebuilding of border posts across the country.

“In the last seven years, I have ordered renovation of national border posts in several areas across the nation with a new look, and most importantly with new and better services which reflect our commitment to develop Indonesia from the border areas,” he said.

The President added that the Sota Integrated Border Post is the eighth border post that the Government has built and the second one in Papua after the Skouw border post in Jayapura.

“The Sota Border post was built with an integrated concept. It has complete facilities, including commercial buildings, public and social facilities, rooms for staffers, places of worship, a market, pedestrian roads, parking areas, as well as other supporting infrastructure,” President Jokowi stated.

“I hope that the Sota border post will provide better services to Indonesian people who cross the Indonesian border to Papua New Guinea, increase security in border areas, stimulate developments in new economic centers, and make people at the border areas prouder of our country Indonesia,” he remarked.

In the meantime, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian underscored that the construction of the Sota border post is part of the construction of eleven Border Posts instructed by President Jokowi through Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2019.

“The Sota border post is the beginning of the development of the Sota area as a new center of economic growth in the national border that can benefit not only the people of Papua but also the people of neighboring countries, including Papua New Guinea and other Pacific countries,” Tito remarked. (TGH/UN) (RI/EP)