Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia on the Opening of the Extraordinary National Conference of the Association of Municipal Governments throughout Indonesia (APEKSI) 2023, December 15, 2023

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Good morning,

May peace be upon us,

Om swastiastu,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of virtue.

Minister of State Secretariat,

Acting Governor of West Java, Mayor and Vice Mayor of Bogor and all ranks of the Regional Leaders Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), all Indonesian Mayors,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since we are gathering here now, I would like to share many things about city because I was a mayor for two periods. As we aware that in 1900, population in cities was just 10 percent of all in the world. Then, the population increased to reach 50 percent of the total word population.  In 2050, it is estimated that there will be 70% cities population of the total world population. Even in Indonesia, in 2010 the cities’ population reached 49.7 percent while in 2020 it has reached 56.7 percent. In 2045-2050 the population is estimated to reach 70%.

Therefore, the city design, masterplan, strategy must be planned from now. All cities must have their masterplan. As I always say that every city has its own characteristics as well as its quality. And we know that cities in Indonesia do not have special strength and distinction than other cities. So, I remind you all that, firstly, all cities must have architecture design in details of engineering. Then, in 2050 all cities will have their own characteristic because of their strong qualities respectively.

Let me show you the example of world cities, Sunnyland in California. I always say that the city has 37 golf courses. Almost every day people come by private jets just to play golf there. I think we can build similar place like that in cities having cold weather, I don’t know which  cities. Why not? There is a city specialized in holding exhibitions every two weeks, world exhibitions in Koln, Germany. Every two weeks they hold exhibitions of photography, outdoor, furniture, technology. The city counts on exhibitions. Another well-known city for furniture is High Point in North Carolina. Every year tens of thousands of people come to the city to see furniture trend, future colour trend. All around the city hold exhibitions. If the city, let say Bogor, hold exhibitions, the visitors can have accommodation in Banten or Jakarta because Bogor cannot accommodate the visitors. Why can’t we do it?

Let me share another example, Ambon. I think Ambon has its strength in fisheries. Why don’t we plan and build facilities for fish products from now? Nothing comes in our mind about Ambon but fish products. We think about cool storage, port, big concept of fish products, invitation to hold annual fisheries conference.

Lampung, the city of pineapples and bananas? Bananas and pineapples are produced in Lampung. All symbols in Lampung are bananas and pineapples. Just choose one of them. Don’t combine both to show the differentiation. Why not? We have all of them. What is the place close to Manado? Tomohon, for example, the flower city, why not? We can make Tomohon like Keukenhof in Amsterdam, why not? Why do all cities have the same “brands” (taglines). Berhiber (Clean, Green, and Flowering), Berseri (Shinning), the brands begin with “-ber” because of “bersih (clean)”

So, the strength and character of the city emerges, but everything has to be designed from the start as Pak Bima Arya said. There is continuous consistency from each leadership, not changing programs, changing events. Just like a fuel pump that always starts from zero. From kindergarten to high school, then back to kindergarten. We have reached the level of junior high school but we are back to elementary. Start again because we don’t have detailed city planning. There is a big idea that is well planned in details consisting city plan, engineering, so every…. well, this is the job of Acting Mayor because you have short term. Just make a detailed city plan, landscape, invitation to the best landscape architects so that the city….

Sometimes, when I visit a city, I can see the colour of buildings belongs to the colour of a political party. How could the colour of political party be applied to the city? It has no relation at all. It is forced because the leader is from a political party. I don’t mention the political party, from Party A. Purple is applied for colouring. It has no relation. All offices of the city government are purple. What is this? Anyway, I visit cities almost every day. So, I know the cities from the colour of political party. The mayor is from a political party, including the outfits today represent a political party.

So, back to the topic of city. In the future, we must provide masterplan along with design to create cities with their strength, excellence, and characteristic. Not all cities are the same because every city is popular for featured products. For example, Gorontalo, that the first thing in our mind about Gorontalo is corn. That’s the strength that must be consistently planned and done every year.

Secondly, I remind you all to do a totally conceptual planning. Let me share the example if we will build a road. We just think only about a road when we build a road. It must be a package of a road, sidewalks, drainage, and landscape. Don’t just build a road. Think about building the sidewalks. Don’t let the street vendors stand on the side of the road that finally make us confused when suddenly there are food stalls mushrooming on the side of the road.

We often do not pay attention to landscapes causing the aesthetics of a place become invisible. In fact, we have smart and strong architects. Nor are they made individually. For example, we just build the road but five years later the drainage is built when there are many street vendors on the side of the road. We have to move the street vendors with expensive political and social budget. It will be a different effect if we plan a whole package. Although we have just planned a 10 or 2-km road, it doesn’t matter. We are building a 2 km road this year. Next year we will build another 2 km road and continue the progress.

I see this is happened because of our unprioritized budget. I always remind you all to arrange the budget based on priority as the budget itself is limited, divided into all departments, added 5 percent every year. Whether the priority is educational sector, then we concentrate 60 percent of budget for education. The rest of 40 percent is divided based on priority scale. If the priority is infrastructures, then 60 percent for infrastructures. So, it is clear.

It also happens to our State Budget. If we do not concentrate on how to spend the budget, we cannot control the use of money. Finally, after my 5-year period ends, I will be shocked. What did I do? What is my legacy? In fact, the budget every five years is always the same as it was. All leaders of cities, provinces, and nation are the same.

That concludes my remarks. I don’t want to talk many things. By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, today I hereby open the Extraordinary National Conference of the Association of Municipal Governments throughout Indonesia (APEKSI) 2023.

Thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(GA/LW)