President Jokowi Inaugurates Longest Toll Road

President Jokowi talks to reporters after inaugurating 189-km Trans Sumatra Toll Road, at Simpang Pematang Toll Gate KM 240, Simpang Pematang District, Mesuji Regency, Lampung Province, Friday (15/11). (Photo by: OJI/PR)

As part of his working visit to Lampung Province, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Friday (15/11) inaugurated the Terbanggi Besar – Pematang Panggang – Kayu Agung Trans Sumatra Toll Road at Simpang Pematang Toll Gate KM 240, Mulya Agung Village, Simpang Pematang District, Mesuji Regency, Lampung Province.

The newly inaugurated toll road spans across 189 km long, making it the longest toll road the President has ever inaugurated to date.

On that occasion, the President ordered regional governments to connect the Trans Sumatra Toll Road to tourism areas or production centers.

“I have conveyed earlier to the governors, regents, and mayors to connect (the toll road) to tourist areas, to production centers of fisheries, plantations, agriculture, so that new economic growth points will grow. Those also include industrial zones,” said the President.

The President also put emphasis on further developing the surrounding areas, while stressing it is the duty of the governor, regent, and mayor to do so.

Should the regional heads are unable to complete the task, the Central Government will pick up the slack, the President added.

President Jokowi also expressed hope that by 2024, the Trans Sumatra Toll Road has to reach Aceh Province on the northern end of Sumatra. According to him, the progress of land acquisition process in the province has reached 52%.

“Mobility of goods and people, logistical networking, and infrastructure supply will improve our competitiveness index,” President Jokowi said. (TGH/OJI/ES)

Translated by : Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Edited by :  Muhardi, M. Ersan Pamungkas