President: Real work needed for building Indonesia

Jakarta, InfoPublik - This era’s challenges that range from poverty through social inequality to unemployment are daunting. Looking ahead, the competition between countries and between regions will become fierce. Thus, Indonesia must have high competitiveness and productivity capacities.

In various occasions, President Joko Widodo tirelessly urged all elements of the nation to be able to adapt to the challenges and be optimistic in building the nation.

"We have to work shoulder to shoulder and be creative, optimistic, and innovative in order to accelerate the national development and boost our competitiveness as a nation,“ said President Joko Widodo in the State Address in the Annual Meeting of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) in Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday (8/16).

The President’s call was in line with the theme of the 71st Anniversary of Indonesia’s Independence: Kerja Nyata (Real Work). The theme was chosen as a declaration of the government's commitment to do real work to build Indonesia.

However, it also requires cooperation and unity from all levels of the communities to ensure the real work to have an impact on their life. So, it needs cooperation and togetherness to solve problems. The government has started the implementation of “real work” by demonstrating firm decisions as well as transparent and informative in works.

The implementation of constitutional mandate and citizens protection

The Preamble of the 1945 Constitution stated that Indonesia must promote public welfare as the purpose of the state. This goal is impossible to be achieved if the nation is still under imperialism. Therefore, the 1st Indonesian President Sukarno said that independence was the golden bridge to the nation’s welfare. Now, President Joko Widodo determined to realize the ideals of the nation through the motto: Real Work.

Real work is the real implementation of every policy—not just a discourse. Therefore, the President said: “Speed is needed in implementing every policy for the sake of the short, medium, or long term national interests.”

The government had prioritized to tackle the poverty by reducing the gap between the rich and the poor and between regions in  the country; to accelerate the economic recovery amidst the global challenges and crises; to open new jobs; and to realize the welfare of the people.

There were some considerable progresses in the country’s development ranging from infrastructure to health and education. The government had been keen to build Transboundary State Post (PLBN) and settlements around the border to provide better cross border services and improve the self-esteem of the nation to the neighboring countries.

The government also reclaimed the identity as a maritime nation by handling illegal fishing and developing ports in Kuala Tanjung, North Sumatra province and in Sorong, West Papua province. A billions dollar worth power plant project in Batang, Central Java was designed to be the largest power plant in Southeast Asia.

Government has been guaranteeing the ease of access to health and education by distributing 21.4 million of Indonesia Smart Cards (KIP) and 86.4 million Indonesia Healthy Cards (KIS) since December 2014.

The government's commitments are implemented gradually although economic condition has not fully recovered. Budget cutting policy in the 2016 state budget had also been done, amounting to Rp133.8 trillion. There were about Rp65 trillion of savings from ministries/agencies and Rp68.8 trillion of funds were transferred to the regions.

Budget cuts were made in the sectors that did not really support the priorities, such as, official travels and meetings as well as government’s buildings constructions.

As for the people's welfare, the budget was not cut at all. It is the government's decision as promised in the fifth Nawacita—President Joko Widodo’s priorities: improving the quality of human life in Indonesia by enhancing the quality of education and training with Smart Indonesia program and improving social welfare through Working Indonesia and Prosperous Indonesia.

It must be admitted that some programs are still facing challenges. However, it is the government’s duty to strengthen the effort to prosper the people. The agencies in central and local governments must tighten coordination to give prompt and proper aids to all citizens, especially poor families.

Thus, the confidence of the President should be a reference for the whole nations. "So far, mutual cooperation, solidarity, and togetherness have boosted our effort in carrying out the mandate of the people," he said.

Let's make the 71st Anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia as an inspiration to win the competition, to win the humanity, to achieve common progress.

Long live the Republic of Indonesia! Long live the State of Pancasila! (GPR Task Force, Translator: Erik Limantara)