President Encourages Private Firms to Help Develop Infrastructure
11 September 2017 09:22 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has encouraged private firms to help develop the infrastructure. He said that it is impossible to build the infrastructure only by SOEs.
“Many have said that all projects are carried out by SOEs. No. Private firms also play a role,” Jokowi said in the inauguration of Jombang-Mojokerto toll road on September 10 in East Java.
Jokowi pointed to the example of Jombang-Mojokerto toll road that was developed by private firm PT Marga Harja Infrastructure. The involvement of private firms in infrastructure development is a must because not all project can be done by SOEs.
Accelerated infrastructure development is aimed at complimenting the existing ones across the country, Jokowi said. It will help improve competitiveness and boost economic growth, he added.
The President stressed that global competition will not be won by the largest countries but by the quickest ones.
He said that Indonesia will improve competitiveness if logistic channel gets better and quicker which would allow local economies to compete with other countries. “Don’t just think about competition between nations, Indonesian and Singapore or Indonesia and Thailand; even East Java could compete with other countries,” he said.
AMIRULLAH SUHADA
