President Jokowi: Infrastructure Built to Connect the Islands in Indonesia

The atmosphere when President Jokowi received 365 class XI students’ Batch 27 Taruna Nusantara Senior High School Magelang, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (9/4). (Photo by: Public Relations/Oji)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that Indonesia is a great country with the population of 263 million, 17,000 islands and 714 different ethnicities.

The country has also become the world’s 16 major economies, the President said.

“This means that our country is a plural and diverse country and has more than 1,100 local languages,” the President said in his remarks when receiving 365 class XI students’ Batch 27 Taruna Nusantara Senior High School Magelang, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (9/4).

On that occasion, President Jokowi also stressing the importance of infrastructure development which is now being intensified by the Government, starting from toll roads, construction of new airports or developing existing one, ports-be it large, medium, and small, both in Java and outside Java.

The President also cited the example of the construction of Kuala Tanjung seaport in Sumatra which is currently still in process and to be completed by the end of this year. The President added that the expansion of port is also being done in Tanjung Priok Port and in Makassar New Port so that any ships can be docked in the port. The Government also plans to build ports up to Sorong, West Papua, the President said.

Furthermore, the President maintained that the Government has also been building small ports such as in Tapaleo Port, Central Halmahera because small ports are needed for logistical traffic and other items of economic value that can be sold to other islands.

“This is what I often say about sea tolls. They connect islands, provinces, districts, and cities in our country Indonesia,” the President said, while stressing the importance of the development because the Government wants to have a strong foundation for the country in the competition with other countries.

Also present during the event were Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko. (FID/OJI/ES) (GWH/EP/Naster)