All Provincial Potentials Must Be Developed: President

Jakarta, Aug 15 (Antara) - Potentials and opportunities in every province, district, city, and village must be productively developed, according to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "Indonesia`s forward movement in the 21st century must not be centered only in Jakarta," the president announced in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Friday in the joint session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representative Council (DPD) to mark the observance of the 69th anniversary of independence. He noted that to expedite inter-region development, the government has initiated the development of six economic corridors to stimulate the centers of regional economic growth and industrial clusters in each corridor by exploring the potentials and special quality of the regions. "We are pleased to see that Makassar has achieved a higher economic growth than China; to see Badung District in Bali become a major tourist destination in Asia; to see Banyuwangi District cut its poverty rate from 20 percent to 9 percent in only 3 years; to see Bandung`s ambition to build Indonesia`s Silicon Valley; to see how Maluku endeavors to be a national fish industry; to see Surabaya is recognized worldwide as one of the pilot cities, and many other examples throughout the country," he said. Since the government had launched MP3EI in 2011, more than 382 projects, comprising 208 infrastructure projects and 174 real sector projects, with a value of no less than Rp854 trillion, have been implemented. "It is heartening that the majority of the acceleration of infrastructure and real sector development, worth Rp544 trillion, are located outside Java Island," Yudhoyono noted. "We are proud to see new luxurious and modern airports in Makassar, Balikpapan, Medan, and Bali, excelling the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport." "We are proud to see the toll road above Bali Sea, as well as new railway track from the airport to the center of Medan, or Kelok Sembilan Bridge in West Sumatra, all of which increasingly trigger community economic activities." The president, however, pointed out that still many challenges of infrastructure lie ahead. "Many infrastructure projects that are being put on hold in their implementation--even halted--are due to political, bureaucratic, or logistic reasons," he stated. These continue to pose a significant challenge, as it will be impossible for Indonesia to become Asia`s economic giant without more complete, qualified, and modern infrastructure. "With the MP3EI, we hope that various centers of new economic growth and new infrastructures throughout Indonesia will be developed," he added.