Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of BPJS Kesehatan Office in the Nusantara Capital (IKN), North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province, March 1, 2024

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Good morning,
May peace be upon us all.

Distinguished Chairperson of Presidential Advisory Council;
Distinguished Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, joining us today Minister of Investment, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms (PANRB), Minister of Public Works and Public Housing, Minister of Trade, and Minister of Health;
Distinguished Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Force, Head of the IKN Authority, and Curator for the IKN;
Distinguished Chairperson of the Financial Services Authority, Acting Governor of East Kalimantan, Acting Regent of North Penajam Paser, and Regent of Kutai Kartanegara;
Distinguished President Director, Board of Directors, Board of Advisory Council, and the big family of the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan);
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I remember that in 2015-2016 I often held meetings with the BPJS Kesehatan on deficit matters. It was hard to resolve. But for many years I haven’t had any meetings with them, meaning the BPJS Kesehatan’s management is very good.

I also remember that in 2015, 2016, 2017, every time I inspected hospitals with BPJS Kesehatan services, there were many complaints including the long queues. At that time, I always inspected on the ground and found numerous complaints. Since 2020, when I inspected hospitals, especially at the registration counter, the change has been very drastic, very good. And the most important thing is that there is no deficit in the balance. Is it right, Mr. President Director [of BPJS Kesehatan]? We do not hold a meeting meaning that we do not have deficit. If there is deficit in the balance, the President Director always invited me to attend the meeting.

Moreover, I would like to extend my appreciation that the coverage of BPJS Kesehatan participants has reached 267 million people or 95.7 percent of our total population.

I have told the President Director that I have never been this proud before. President Barack Obama in 2015 asked me, “Why can healthcare insurance in Indonesia run well, while Obama Care in the US cannot?” I can not compare them at that time. But after inspecting on the ground for years, I notice that it is different.

Firstly, in my view, in Indonesia there is a referral Community Health Center (Puskesmas). There is no referral Community Health Center, but the hospital in the US so that the hospital has a lot of patients. In Indonesia we have Puskesmas, if there is serious patient, we will send to the hospital. Secondly, population ageing. Indonesia has demographic bonus, more working age population so that BPJS Kesehatan has less burdens compared to the insurance in the US. We can run it better because we have potentials that I have mentioned earlier.

I would like to express my gratitude for the development of the BPJS Kesehatan office in the Nusantara Capital. Previously we have done groundbreaking ceremony for the financial industry cluster. Today, we have done [the groundbreaking of] the BPJS Kesehatan office. There are already five hospitals in the construction process, so it will complement the health services in the Nusantara Capital for people living here and certainly for all people throughout Indonesia.

For those who have never been to the IKN before, please go to the area of the State Palace. By visiting it, we will understand what our Capital will be, what it will be in the future. You can notice it, when you are today in the highest point of this area. I don’t know if you are allowed to enter or not. But if you are allowed, I think everyone should see it from there, even though I have been there many times. I am allowed, but I am not sure you are. You can try to go there; you can notice that how we truly have  desires to have a presidential building that is not a legacy of colonialism. We build it ourselves with our own products, conducted by our own people, and this will evoke a sense of pride, self-esteem.

Everytime I received state guests, be it a President or a Prime minister. When they entering our Palace, they told me, “Wow, the building is nice, isn’t it?” I wouldn’t be able to say anything because indeed it is a legacy from the Dutch colonial era, including Palaces in Bogor, Yogyakarta, and Cipanas. This is actually one of the things we want to do, so that we have pride in ourselves, with a distinctive cultural identity.

That concludes my speech on this auspicious occasion. By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I hereby inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the BPJS Kesehatan Office in the Nusantara Capital.

I thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(AP/MUR)