Jakarta – Surabaya to be Linked by Toll Roads by End of 2018

President Jokowi attends the opening of CEO Networking 2018, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, Monday (3/12). (Photo by: Jay/PR Division)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo affirmed that toll road connecting Surabaya and Jakarta is targeted and must to be completed by the end of 2018.

“I want to see how long will it take to travel there if I go by car,” President Jokowi said in his remarks at the opening of CEO Networking 2018, at Ballroom 1 and 2 of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, on Monday (3/12).

The President said that based on his calculation, Merak – Banyuwangi Toll Road which connects the western and eastern points of Java, will be completed by the end of 2019. Although construction of Lampung – Palembang Toll Road cannot be completed by the end of this year, 148-kilometer Bakauheni – Terbanggi Besar Section, which is also a part of Trans Sumatra Toll can be connected this year.

“The workers have told me that roads connecting Lampung – Palembang, and Bakauheni-Palembang can be completed in June 2019,” the President firmly said.

President Jokowi admitted that he initially wanted the roads to be completed in any months except June, April, or the end of March because people will later associate it to the upcoming elections. In fact, he continued, the Government did not think that way.

“If it finishes by the end of March or in April, we can use the roads to travel from Jakarta to Palembang during the annual mudik (mass exodus ahead of Idul Fitri),” President Jokowi said adding that there must be some people who are suspicious if the completion of his works is accelerated and they connect it to the upcoming elections.

President Jokowi added that infrastructure development implemented by the Government took indeed large sum of money and efforts but he ensured all that infrastructure is foundation, pillar needed by Indonesia to compete with other countries.

“The foundation indeed costs us much but I believe our economy will improve as economic growth still hits 5, while inflation rate is predicted to reach 3.2 by the end of 2018,” President Jokowi asserted.

The President explained that the Government now builds trust through prudent fiscal and monetary management. “Now, we get that trust. Don’t be surprised if the Dollar exchange rate to Rupiah continues to weaken. On the other hand, we hope the devaluation will not drop dramatically and instantly because we need it for the competition of Indonesian export products,” President Jokowi concluded.

Also attending the event were Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, Minister  of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Governor of central bank Bank Indonesia Perry Warjiyo, Chairman of Financial Services Authorithy (OJK) Board of Commissioners Wimboh Santoso, and President Director of Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) Inarno Djajadi. (DNA/JAY/ES)

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : Yuyu Mulyani