Jokowi Orders Acceleration of Rehabilitation in Papua's Wamena

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi demanded acceleration of the rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged due to the deadly riot last month in Wamena, Papua. During the working visit, he inspected Wouma Market.

The President said that he would prioritize the renovation of the market as the community’s place of trading agricultural products.

"I have set a target of two weeks that the rehabilitation must be completed, that would be executed by Zeni or the Army Corps of Engineers. Inshallah, it would be finished in two weeks. It would be operational soon so that the economic activities in this market would recover as soon as possible," he remarked.

In addition to the market, he asked the rehabilitation of residents' houses and shops to be carried out in cooperation between Zeni and State-Owned Enterprises to quickly reach completion. Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of Jayawijaya Regent's office will be managed by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR).

The improvement was still in process as of date, he added. "The important thing is [the rehabilitation] is quickly done, the budget would come from PUPR Ministry," said the former governor of Jakarta.

He also appealed to the people to take a lesson from such experiences as these and make a commitment to unite and develop the country’s easternmost province.

"If everyone here holds a commitment to remain united, together in developing Papua, I think we can reach prosperity quickly," he said.

President Jokowi went on to say that the Indonesian Army and National Police assured the security in the province, and so the economy would return to normal.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI