President Jokowi Tells Minister to Eliminate ‘Troubled’ Regional Laws Until July At the Latest

President Jokowi opens the Advanced Indonesia National Convention at Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMY) in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Province, on Monday (23/5)

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo has told Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo to eliminate 3000 ‘troubled’ regional laws until July this year at the latest.

“We don’t have to evaluate them first because last year I instructed the Home Affairs Ministry to evaluate them. In one month, they evaluated seven regional laws. If we have to evaluate 3,000 regional laws, how long will it take? So, we don’t have to evaluate them again; we must eliminate them,” President Jokowi said at the opening of the Advanced Indonesia National Convention at Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMY) in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Province, on Monday (23/5).

According to the President, Indonesia currently has around 42,000 regulations – be it laws, presidential regulations, government regulations, ministerial regulations, and regional laws.However, he added that what the country must do now in facing the problems is to think in simple ways.

“We must immediately cut those regulations. We must get rid of them. We must simplify them so we can all act fast because we are competing with others countries who are ahead of us,” the President added.

President Jokowi added that there are three things that Indonesia must do to catch up with other countries: first, accelerating infrastructure development; second, doing massive de-regulation, and third, developing human resources.

The President also noted that to become an advanced and ‘winning’ nation, Indonesia has to be united and said that unity is Indonesia’s‘social capita’ to make the country win the competition.

“We must not be divided for narrower interests, for interests that are actually not beneficial for our country,” the President said.

President Jokowi furthersaid that Indonesia’s real enemies are poverty and backwardness and the country is now competing with other countries.

Therefore, to win the competition, the President called on all elements of the country to stay united and become a ‘winning nation’.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also mentioned Indonesia’s competitiveness index.

Among ASEAN countries, the country’s competitiveness index is ranked number four behind Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand and is ranked 37^th at the global level.

In terms of the ease of doing business index, Indonesia is ranked 109^th of around180 countries. Previously, Indonesia was ranked 120^th.

Singapore is ranked 1^st, Malaysia is ranked 18^th, Thailand is ranked 49^th, Vietnam is ranked 90^th, and Brunei Darussalam is ranked 84^th.

According to the President, to improve Indonesia’s competitiveness index and the ease of doing business index, Indonesia must be dare enough to make massive reforms within the government and do massive de-regulations.

Also attending the event were Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly Zulkifli Hasan, Governor of Yogyakarta Special Province Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, and Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo. (RHD/BIS/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)