By: Edi Jatmiko )*
Development is one of the government’s priority programs today. For the success of the development of both infrastructure and human resources, naturally it is natural that Jokowi is re-elected to carry out the mandate as President of 2 terms.
One of the most visible developments is Jokowi’s success in building infrastructure in the border region, this certainly makes the people of Indonesia who live on the border feel more proud of Indonesia.
Of course this should be appreciated, where the Indonesian people can feel the name of a massive and evenly distributed infrastructure. The presence or progress of infrastructure is no longer Java centric, but Indonesia is centric, so that all regions outside Java must enjoy infrastructure development that was promoted during the Jokowi era.
With this development, now the people in Sumatra have been able to take the toll road.
In terms of poverty, the Jokowi Government managed to break the eggs where for the first time in Indonesian history, poverty reduction reached a single digit, which amounted to 9.82% in 2018.
Previously in 2016 and 2017 the government had completed 30 National strategic projects. The project has a total value of Rp. 94.8 trillion. This is certainly not excessive if President Jokowi has built more infrastructure compared to the previous six presidents.
The construction of the Nanga Badau Cross-border Post (PLBN) turned out to get serious attention so the government has rebuilt the building to make it more beautiful. Previously, Nanga Badau PLBN was a shabby looking building with faded paint.
In the transportation sector, Jokowi has built 10 airports, one of which is Kertajati International Airport located in Majalengka Regency, West Java, the airport was inaugurated on May 25, 2018 by President Jokowi.
The construction of the airport certainly can accelerate trips outside the region or abroad, especially for residents of Majalengka, Cirebon, Kuningan, Indramayu, Sumedang and Surrounding Areas.
In addition, investment is also certain to increase, with the Airport, will automatically increase investment in the area around the airport. Especially investment from the hotel accommodation sector, tourism and industry. This will certainly be directly proportional to the increase in labor absorption.
Indonesia is an archipelagic country, more than half of its sovereign region is filled with water, both strait and open sea.
Not only building tolls on the ground, the Jokowi – JK administration has also completed the sea highway program that has become its flagship program. The sea toll road construction is believed to have had an impact to reduce logistics costs. So that the price of goods can be reduced and make production costs more efficient.
Sea toll vessels save about 30% compared to public vessels, so that transportation costs can be streamlined. This certainly has an impact on the price of products on remote islands not much different in producing regions in Java.
Not only are sea tolls effective, bridges have been built in various regions in Indonesia. The bridge built is a path that connects two plains with different heights.
Infrastructure development will certainly have an impact on increasing the number of jobs. In addition, access to get to a place will be easier so that it will speed up the process of transportation of goods both from within and outside the area that can increase the activity of the regional economic wheels.
On different occasions, President Jokowi once stressed the importance of infrastructure development for a country in order to face the era of competition in the future.
One that is enough to steal the world’s attention is the holding of the Asian Games in Jakarta – Palembang. Where Indonesia has managed to host the biggest sporting event in Asia. Because the government has built 79 Asian Games venues. In fact, 33 venues were scattered, of which 18 were built in DKI Jakarta, 4 venues in South Sumatra, and 11 other venues in West Java.
Development that is promoted by the government is certainly a form of government concern for the fate of the nation in the next 4-5 years. We should certainly support this concern by maintaining and maintaining infrastructure, not by damaging it.
)* The author is a social political observer