President Jokowi Explains the Important Role of Infrastructure Development

President Jokowi gets together with culture experts at the Merdeka Palace’s yard, Jakarta, Friday (6/4) afternoon (Photo: PR/Rahmat).

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo expressed the important role of infrastructure development in 3.5 years undertaken by the Government. “Because as a huge country, we are left behind by our neighboring countries, so firstly we need to catch it up,” President Jokowi stated in a silaturrahim (an amicable gathering) with culture experts at the Merdeka Palace’s yard, Jakarta, on Friday (6/4) afternoon.

According to the Head of State, eastern part of Indonesia is a region of which condition is far behind ours here, especially in Java.
He narrated, when he went to Wamena 3 years ago, fuel price here was Rp6,450 and in Wamena it was Rp60,000. In a bad weather, it reached Rp100,000 per liter. “It caused by unready infrastructure to support the same price as in Java,” the Head of State explained the reason.

Then to Nduga Regency which its asphalt is not longer than 1 meter. Previously, it took from Wamena, that is already far away, 4 days 4 nights walking, climbing up and down mountains, entering new forests before reaching Nduga. “That is what I saw in Wamena, then in Nduga. In Wamena, fuel price is Rp60,000, much less in Nduga, no one sell fuel because everybody walk,” the Head of State explained while adding, these are facts we must face, including what Lesik Keti Ara, Acehnese poet, has uttered about Rembele Airport.

“This is Central Aceh Regency which now becomes Bener Meriah Regency,” President Jokowi added. The President emphasized that infrastructure is not all about economy. But, this infrastructure will unite us.“If the inequality stays as I explained we will never unite,” the President said. The President added, he has flown from Aceh in Banda Aceh directly to Wamena and it took 9 hours 15 minutes. But if we do not accommodate it, the airports, the ports, even the roads, President reminded, the inequality among regions will be bigger.

The Silaturrahim with culture experts was attended by Radhar Panca Dahana, Butet Kertaradjasa, Muhammad Sobary, Putu Wijaya, Nasirun, Lesik Keti Ara, Olga Lidya, and Olivia Zalianty. Meanwhile, President Jokowi was accompanied by Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendi, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Head of Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) Triawan Munaf, Coordinator for Presidential Special Staff Teten Masduki, and Presidential Special Staff Sunardi Rinakit. (FID/JAY/ES) (EPI/YM/Naster)