Prabowo urged to optimise infrastructure built by Jokowi

This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.

Investor Daily - Prabowo diminta optimalkan infrastruktur yang dibangun Jokowi

23 October 2024

By Ichsan Amin

Jakarta, ID – The infrastructure policy in the new administration of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is expected to optimise development in the infrastructure sector, aiming to match the progress made over the past 10 years.

Even though President Prabowo's administration may not prioritise new infrastructure development, the utilisation of existing infrastructure is expected to be more optimised.

An infrastructure expert from Universitas Trisakti in Jakarta, Yayat Supriatna, stated that the infrastructure developed over the last ten years under President Joko Widodo's administration was a significant achievement. Thousands of kilometres of toll roads and national roads, reservoirs as basic infrastructure, and the fulfilment of settlement infrastructure represent substantial capital for the newly elected Indonesian president, President Prabowo.

According to him, Prabowo must optimise these infrastructure projects to create new economic centres in regions. "So, I think what has been built by the previous president, Joko Widodo, must be optimised by the new cabinet to create new economic centres in the regions," he said to Investor Daily in Jakarta on Tuesday (22/10/2024).

Yayat said that infrastructure development, including national roads and toll roads, would facilitate the distribution of goods, passengers, and services. For example, the toll roads in Sumatra must be encouraged to create new economic hubs based on the industrial characteristics of the surrounding region.

“For instance, in Sumatra, there are toll roads in Lampung, Palembang, Medan, Bengkulu, Jambi, and Aceh. Therefore, it is only a matter of determining which industry is suitable for each region, as the accessibility has already been provided,” he explained.

On the other hand, the utilisation of reservoirs and settlement facilities must also be optimised for the people as social capital. As basic infrastructure, reservoirs must guarantee water availability and electricity supply.

“Toll roads can facilitate the creation of new industries, which have the potential to attract investors. Basic necessities, such as reservoirs and drinking water supply systems (SPAMs), must be optimised as a social investment by the government,” he stated.

Yayat added that infrastructure development does not always need to rely on the state budget. He stated that the government could attract investors to this sector through various investment schemes.

“Similar to in the past, the government offers many attractive investment schemes for investors that do not burden the state budget (APBN),” he added.

President Prabowo's programmes for the next five years will emphasise development in several sectors. These include the food, energy, industrial, and housing sectors.

Transportation law enforcement

Meanwhile, Djoko Setijowarno, a transportation observer from Unika Soegijapranata in Semarang, stated that the development of current transportation infrastructure and facilities should be viewed as basic necessities. Their utilisation can be implemented through various government programmes in the future.

For example, the connection of the Trans-Java Toll Road since 2018 has proven to facilitate traffic, increase the transportation of goods and passengers, and stimulate the growth of services. However, challenges remain regarding the distribution of goods and passengers through toll roads.

“Logistics costs have decreased from 24% to 14%, but this has yet to benefit freight delivery drivers. Additionally, there is the issue of law enforcement on overloaded and over-dimension vehicles, which also poses a hindrance,” he revealed.

On the other hand, extortion by civil apparatuses in the Motor Vehicle Weighing Implementation Unit remains rampant. Additionally, several locations are not suitable for operation.

The service capacity does not match the number of freight vehicles that must be checked. The modernisation of weighing services is essential, and facilities must be improved to provide comfort for the Motor Vehicle Weighing Implementation Unit, which is often located far from the city.

“These aspects must be organised. In other words, the quality of the infrastructure will not be optimally utilised if the resources are not managed effectively,” he revealed.

Over-dimension and overloaded vehicles must also be addressed. Djoko explained that, since 2017, efforts have been made, but disagreements persist among the ministries. He mentioned that there were 10 ministries and institutions involved in the regulation of over-dimension and overloaded vehicles.

“Accidents involving freight transportation vehicles frequently occur. However, freight transportation companies and freight owners often avoid responsibility and face no legal sanctions,” he explained.

The issue of overloaded and over-dimension vehicles is often the cause of many accidents, but it is usually the truck driver who is punished by the law. However, the truck driver is also a victim of the chaotic logistics transportation system in the country. "Moreover, the elected president must take action by issuing a presidential instruction on freight transportation," he stated.

Djoko added that law enforcement is crucial in optimising the infrastructure that has been built to make economic growth in regions more efficient and of higher quality. "We have a lot of infrastructure. What we still need are supporting infrastructure. The rest is how we utilise these transportation infrastructures and facilities to improve quality," he added.

Continue connectivity infrastructure

Previously, Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi emphasised that he was ready to continue the development initiatives undertaken by his predecessor, Budi Karya Sumadi, at the Transportation Ministry.

“We will continue programmes that benefit the people. The most important thing is that we will improve connectivity among regions in line with the vision and mission of President Prabowo,” he added.

Meanwhile, Public Works and Housing Minister Dody Hanggodo stated that he was committed to continuing the various infrastructure development programmes that provide real benefit to the people.

“We will continue beneficial programmes and create innovations in the sector to provide direct benefits,” he added.
 

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