Govt Targets Top 40 in World Infrastructure Competitiveness Index
17 August 2017 11:28 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Public Works and Public Housing is aiming for top 40 in the global infrastructure competitiveness index. The target is set considering that Indonesia managed to climb up from 62 in 2015 to 60 in 2016.
“Compared to the neighboring countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, we are lagging behind,” Director General of Construction Yusid Toyib said yesterday, August 16, in a written statement.
Read: Jokowi Reveals Infrastructure Projects to Start Next Year
According to Yusin, to improve competitiveness, the Public Works Ministry is pushing for the involvement of stakeholders in formulating structured and systematic policies in a bid to boost infrastructure competitiveness. Moreover, the ministry will bring together relevant parties in the field of construction service, tech and energy supply-chain companies, business associations, professional associations, academicians, and investors to discuss infrastructure project acceleration.
Yusid said that competitiveness is shaped by institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic condition, health and basic education. Education and training are key to improving efficiency. “In addition, workforce efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness and market size must also be taken into account,” he said.
According to Yusdi, the government will push for the holding of a national infrastructure competitiveness forum to provide recommendations on policy breakthrough to improve the pillars of national and infrastructure competitiveness.
The Public Works and Public Housing Minister (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono stressed that infrastructure development is key to improving Indonesia’s competitiveness. “Particularly the ever increasing global competition that will make cooperation of all parties a must,” he said.
Data in the Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017 from World Economic Forum (WEF) shows that Indonesia ranks 41st for competitiveness and 60th for infrastructure competitiveness.
ARKHELAUS W.
