Introductory Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia H.E. Joko Widodo at the Limited Meeting on Evaluation of the National Strategic Projects, on 3 May 2017, at the President’s Office, Jakarta

Unofficial English Translation 

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good afternoon,

Peace and prosperity be upon us all.  

Mr. Vice President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have evaluated the implementation of national strategic projects in 22 provinces and I always emphasize that all national strategic projects that have been planned must be properly monitored, and also ascertained the extent to which the progress has been made on the ground, whether it has started, whether there are obstacles. We must continue to monitor it.

Of 225 projects and one program in 14 infrastructure sectors spread across various provinces in Indonesia, according to the report I receive, 20 projects or 9 percent have been completed, 94 projects or 42 percent are in the construction stage, 13 projects or 5 percent are in the transaction stage, and 83 projects or 37 percent are in the planning stage. Moreover, 7 percent are proposed to be excluded from the national strategic projects and 55 new national strategic projects are proposed, as well as one program.

With regard to the addition of new national strategic projects, I want to point out some issues.

First, I ask that the newly proposed projects be not merely a long list of wishes from every ministry or institution, but they really need to be strictly selected. Given we have a very short time, I think the new ones should not be raised again.

It is important that I remind you once again that the current or new projects will have an impact on our shared efforts to promote a more qualified economic growth, which can alleviate poverty, reduce inequality between regions, and income inequality.

To that end, we should be able to predict the impact of new national strategic projects for the absorption of labor and added value created for the regional economy.

Second, I ask that the new projects should also be able to sustain, support the leading national sectors being developed by the regions.

Hence, the projects must be really integrated with the development of the leading sectors run by the regions. And I always stress that the national strategic projects can have a significant, tangible impact on the regional economy.

Finally, we must continue to encourage the involvement of the private sector or business entities to finance infrastructure projects.

For that purpose, I ask that non-government infrastructure financing schemes be clearly regulated so as to attract private investment in the infrastructure projects we are planning.

That is all the introductory remarks. I invite Mr. Coordinating Minister or Minister. The floor is yours. (PR, Cabinet Secretariat) (MUR/AW/YM/Naster)