Indonesia’s newly elected President Joko Widodo plans to focus on basic infrastructure development in the first few months of his term, especially hastening permit processing to push through with construction projects.
Targeted infrastructure improvements will include the construction of 2,000 kilometers of roads nationwide, 10 new airports, 10 seaports, and 10 industrial estates, according to a report by The Jakarta Post.
The business sector has expressed support for the President-elect’s infrastructure plans, adding it would like greater participation in the new government’s infrastructure development program through more public-private partnership arrangements.
Among the projects the private sector wishes President Widodo to prioritize are, in order of importance: electricity infrastructure, irrigation systems, roads, airports, and railway tracks, added The Jakarta Post.
But business leaders asked the national government to first address infrastructure roadblocks, including those relating to problems in licensing and land acquisition, to make projects more attractive to investors.
It has been estimated that Indonesia needs some US$550 billion in capital between 2015 and 2019 to fund improvements to the country’s poor infrastructure conditions that have been holding back progress.
Photo: themillersofliverpool
