President Jokowi Longs for Equal Development for All Indonesians, Cabinet Secretary Says

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung poses for a group photo at the 2017 Indonesianism Summit organized by the Alumni Association of the Bandung Institute of Technology (IA-ITB) on Saturday (9/12), at Grand Sahid Jaya, Jakarta

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung on Saturday (9/12) at the 2017 Indonesianism Summit organized by the Alumni Association of the Bandung Institute of Technology (IA-ITB) at Grand Sahid Jaya, Jakarta, explained the President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s concept of Indonesianism.

“The President explained that in a simple way during his remarks at the Commemoration of Indonesia’s 72^nd Independence Day. He wants all Indonesians living in Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island can experience an equal development and no longer ‘Java-centrist’,” Pramono Anung said.

As an example, the Government makes the price of fuel in Papua is equal to the one in Java, Jakarta, and other regions in Indonesia. “The objective is one, namely equality,” Pramono Anung firmly said.

According to Pramono, President Jokowi has mentioned several times that when fuel price in Java increased from Rp6,500 to Rp7,000, there were rallies for a couple of months, while people in Papua have never had a rally even if fuel price in that Province reaches Rp60,000 and Rp100,000 in Puncak Jaya.

“That is the source of spirit of President Jokowi to make an equal development. Not to mention that a 4,300-km road is also developed in Papua to open access to the Province,” Pramono added.

Furthermore, the Cabinet Secretary also asserted that President Jokowi defines Indonesianism into three points; connectivity through developing existing infrastructures and priority infrastructures, develop human resources which is now being implemented, and become the priority project, and address inequality both in gini ratio and poverty figure.

“Currently, Indonesia’s poverty figure stood at nearly 11 percent, and President Jokowi said that he wants the figure to go below 10 percent, and it is not an easy task, we must work hard,” Pramono explained.

Pramono also said that Indonesia, for the first time in 15 years, received investment grade status (BBB-) from three world rating agencies. “We received it for the first time in 2017,” Pramono added.

When President Jokowi met the World Bank, Pramono Anung added, it predicted Indonesia to receive BBB+ grade by the end of 2017.

Pramono Anung firmly said that when it happens, Indonesia’s high cost in development will reduce.

Global trust to Indonesia, Pramono added, also increases. In fact, Indonesia is at rank 4 for top investment destination country and is at rank 2 under the United States for improvement in Ease of Doing Bussiness (EoDB)’s ranking.

“It indeed does not come in an instant; we worked hard for it. Regardless there are many criticism towards President Jokowi on social media, the Government still focus to work, work, and work to improve the condition,” Cabinet Secretary said.

This year’s Indonesianisme Summit organized by the Alumni Association of the Bandung Institute of Technology (IA-ITB) adopts the theme “Promoting Indonesia’s Industry”.

Also attending the event were Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Archandra Tahar, Rector of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Prof. Kadarsah Suryadi, and Chairman of the Alumni Association of the Bandung Institute of Technology (IA-ITB) Ridwan Djamaluddin, and ITB alumni. (FID/RAH/ES) (RAS/MMB/YM/Naster)