MP3EI Investment Reaches Rp737.9 T

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Oct 29 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said that putting into action the Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia`s Economic Development (MP3EI) projects has reached an investment of Rp737.9 trillion. "What we had decided in 2011 at Cipanas Palace, Bogor, has yielded concrete results. Up until the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday, the ongoing investment has reached Rp737.9 trillion, and we are relieved," he said when chairing a limited coordinating meeting on food security at Bung Hatta Palace here on Tuesday. The MP3EI project plans are real and concrete, and not just writing on paper, he said. The president thanked the governors and business circles for the projects being realized due to cooperation between the central government, local governments and business community, he added. Learning the lessons from the MP3Ei program, Yudhoyono sought similar cooperation for the food production program. He also called for the drafting of a plan of action on food production. The plan of action document should not be more than 10 pages and should contain a clear job description detailing who will perform what tasks. The president also urged the nation to increase food production and reduce its dependency upon food imports. Dependency on food imports is not good, in the long term, and the correct solution for food security is increasing food production at home, he stated. Further, cooperation and action among the central government, local governments and the private sector are crucial for food security, he noted. Also, extra hard work is needed to ensure food security amidst the growing population, changes caused by climate change and the global food trade, he added. The coordinating meeting was attended by a number of ministers and 16 governors from South Lampung, East Java, West Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, and West Nusa Tenggara.