Jokowi to Revise MP3EI Project

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo - Jusuf Kalla transition team deputy chairman Andi Widjajanto said the Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development (MP3EI) would be revised because Jokowi-Kalla government must consider the availability of budget and source of income to continue the whole project.

"MP3EI program has large needs," said Andi after meeting Vice President Boediono yesterday.

The project must be examined further because private sector funds 60 percent of the project. There are also inputs and findings from environmentalists about the effect of MP3EI, said Andi. Infrastructure development must not only consider the aspects that boost economy, but also pay attention to environmental aspects and local cultures.

Despite the revision, Jokowi-Kalla has several similar programs with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) government’s. One of them is the sea pendulum concept that resembles Jokowi-Kalla’s marine highway. Boediono also asked Jokowi-Kalla to integrate land transportation and train with markets, factories and seaports or big rivers. "This plan will be followed up in the next two weeks".

MP3EI project was initiated in 2011 and is targeted to be completed in 2025. Within that period, the government will be working on infrastructure projects in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali-Nusa Tenggara and Papua-Maluku corridors. Investment for Sumatra corridor is Rp334,412 billion, Java Rp491,674 billion, Kalimantan Rp31,016.53 billion, Sulawesi Rp5,031 billion, Bali-Nusa Tenggara Rp14,143 billion and Papua-Maluku Rp64,186 billion.

In three years, SBY-Boediono government has realized 382 projects worth Rp854 trillion in MP3EI corridors, with 208 projects of infrastructure and the rest in real sector. Coordinating Economic Ministry deputy Luki Eko said in the first quarter of 2014, there were 132 completed projects that spent Rp443.5 trillion.

SUNDARI