Govt Has Accelerated Infrastructure Development: Public Works Minister
Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, accompanied by chairman of Berkraf, holds a press conference on the 4-Year Report of the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla Administration, in Jakarta, Tuesday (23/10) Photo by: Agung, Public Relations Division of Cabinet Secretariat.
The Indonesian Government has been accelerating infrastructure development since 2015, but there is still room for improvement since the Government aims to join the top 40 in global competitiveness index, according to Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono.
“In fact, our competitiveness has only raised 2 levels, from 47 to 45. We want to enter the top 40,” Basuki said during a press conference on the 4-Year Report of the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla Administration, in Jakarta, Tuesday (23/10).
The Minister said that infrastructure development does not only aim to support economic growth but also to increase competitiveness. He added that as of 2018, Ministry of Public House and Public Housing has built 3,432 km of national roads and 941 km toll road, including Pejaten-Pemalang, Sragen-Ngawi toll road that will be operated soon.
According to Basuki, in 2014 Indonesia had 780 km of toll roads and in the last three years there are an additional 941 km of toll road while in 2019 the additional 1852 km of toll roads are expected.
The Government has also built new bridges and suspension bridges spanned 39,000 meter, “We are not only working on large-scaled bridges but also building suspension bridges to replace the Indiana Jones bridges, to make sure that children can go to school and agricultural production can be distributed from rural areas and villages,” Basuki explained, adding that 134 suspension bridges were built in 2018 and 166 more will be built in 2019.
The Minister further said that the Government has built 65 dams in West Nusa Tenggara province, East Nusa Tenggara province, Aceh province, Maluku provine, and other regions to maintain food security
“There is a new dam in Aceh without irrigation. Now we have built the irrigation that can be used for 18,000 hectares agriculture. The dam was completed in 2004 and we started the construction of irrigation in 2016.” Basuki said.
The Minister went on to say that for the equitable distribution of development, the Government has built 1,692 km road along the border of Kalimantan and the remaining 200 km will be constructed in 2018-2019, while 1762 km roads in the border of East Nusa Tenggara and 909 km in the border of Papua have been finished. (FID/DND/UN/AGG/ES) (RI/EP/Naster)
Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Edited by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas
