President Jokowi Prioritizes Toll Road Construction Outside Java
- VIVA/Uki Rama
Malang – The Indonesian President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will prioritize the construction of toll road outside Java Island in line with the many requests during his visits to each region.
The Head of State admitted that he always gets these requests, because this infrastructure is considered capable of triggering new economic growth points.
"The demand for toll road construction is not only in Java. Every time, I make a working visit, Governors, Regents, Mayors, Regional Heads ask me to be able to build toll roads because they can trigger new economic growth," the President said in Malang, Monday.
Meanwhile in East Java, the Malang-Blitar toll road is one of the most anticipated by the community. The plan to build a toll road connecting Malang and Blitar is considered as a solution to accelerate the mobility of people and logistics mobility of goods.
"The construction of toll roads can accelerate the mobility of people and the logistical mobility of goods. So that the utilization is very pronounced, there is a lot of demand," the President remarked.
President Widodo also revealed that although there are many requests for toll road construction, he emphasized that the priority is still outside Java. The construction of toll roads outside Java is considered the most crucial.
"But the priority is still outside Java,"
President Widodo allows regions in Java to build toll roads as long as the internal rate of return (IRR) or investment efficiency rate is high. That way the construction of the Malang-Blitar toll road can be realized.
"In Java, as long as the internal rate of return is in, go ahead. But if the internal rate of return is still not feasible, PMN (State Capital Participation) can be done by SOEs. But if the internal rate of return can be given to SOE or given to the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR), everything can still be calculated. Including in East Java, including in Malang," the President explained.