President Jokowi to Lead Indonesia Achieving Progressive Leaps
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, accompanied by the Vice President, leaves Nusantara Building of the legislative complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Friday (16/8). (Photo by: Deny S/PR)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has encouraged Indonesian people to have one vision on making leaps of progress that aims to achieve an advanced Indonesia.
“As Head of State and Head of Government, as well as President in a presidential system mandated by the Constitution, I call on everyone to remain optimistic and keep up the hard work. I will be at the forefront in our endeavors to achieve leaps of progress,” President Jokowi said on Friday (16/8) in his State Address on the Commemoration of 74th Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia before the Plenary Session of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and the House of Representatives (DPR).
Previously, President Jokowi said that Indonesia is more than just capital Jakarta or the island of Java, but the whole regions across the country, from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas Island to Rote Island, which means that the development should be Indonesia-oriented and can be enjoyed by the entire people across the archipelago.
“An advanced Indonesia is not only the work of the President and the Vice President, not only the work of the executive, legislative, or judiciary. The success Indonesia is also the work of religious leaders, cultural figures, and educators,” he said, adding that the work of businessmen, labors, traders, innovators, as well as farmers, fishermen, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMES) actors, and the work of the entire children of the nation were involved.
According to President Jokowi, the nation’s swiftness in achieving goals is a collective role that consists of role of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the Golkar Party, the National Democratic Party (NasDem), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party (PPP), the Indonesian Unity Party (Perindo), the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI). It is also the role of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Democratic Party (Demokrat), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Berkarya Party and the Garuda Party.
On that occasion, President Jokowi also said that the competition among other countries is getting tougher and the trade war is escalating and they are fighting for investment, technology, market, intelligent people. They are also fighting over remarkable talents that will bring progress for their respective countries.
The President further said that the world is not only changing and in the era of disruption, he said, the establishment may collapse, the impossibility may prevail, types of jobs may change at any time and many types of jobs disappear but many new types of jobs emerge. A number of professions are gone but some arise, he added.
“Old business model suddenly gets obsolete, new and brilliant business model emerges. Some well-established skills suddenly lose relevance and new skills suddenly become sought-after,” he added.
The Indonesian nation, the President continued, must face the openness with vigilance against other ideologies that may harm the nation’s ideology, vigilant to other values and cultures that are not compatible with the wisdoms of the nation, as well as to anything that may pose a threat to the nation’s sovereignty.
The President also said that Indonesia must face the world’s competition with creativity, innovation, and swiftness.
“We have no choice but to change. We must abandon uncompetitive old ways. We must devise new strategies. We must adopt new ways. Being better than before is not enough. Instead, we must be better than others,” he said.
President Jokowi also called on Indonesian people to move faster and be better than neighboring countries amidst a fierce global competition in the fight over influence, market, and investment. The investment must provide new employment and benefit the nation. “Step by step is not enough anymore. We need leap by leap. Slowly but sure is no longer relevant. Now we need to be fast and sure,” he stated.
For this reason, the President underlined that Indonesian people need science and technology in order to make a leap of progress and to be ahead of other nations.
“We need excellent human capital with Indonesian souls who uphold Pancasila principles, show tolerance and possess a noble deed, eager to learn, to work hard, and to be highly-dedicated,” the President said, added that the nation needs disruptive innovations that turn impossibility into opportunities.
President Jokowi also expressed his belief that the people dare to escape the curses of natural resources. “Our country is indeed rich in bauxite, coal, palm oil, fish, and other natural resources. However, we should develop downstream industries, so that we will be able to make leaps of progress,” he said.
Therefore, the Government, he added, is building downstream coal industry into dimethyl ether (DME), so that it can slash imports of millions of tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) annually, as well as nickel downstream industries to process it into ferronickel which will rise the nickel four times higher.
“We must dare to begin now,” President Jokowi said, adding that the country has achieved leaps of progress.
For the record, the Government has begun the leap with B20 program and will begin B30 program, which mixes diesel with 30 percent of biodiesel. The President believed that the country can upgrade to B100 program or even produce jet fuel made of palm oil.
On that occasion, President Jokowi also urged Indonesian businessmen and state-owned enterprises to expand local products to both regional and global markets and become world-class players. “Our talents must be internationally reputable and acclaimed,” the President stated, reminded the Indonesian people that serious work hand in hand to collectively carry out reforms to make significant leaps of progress.
“The momentum is now,” President Jokowi concluded. (MPR-DPD-DPR / ES)
Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Edited by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman/M. Ersan Pamungkas
