Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo has urged regional governments in the country to develop the potential of their respective regions in a way that could really improve the regions concerned.
"By focusing on a certain area there will be efficiency. Do not do everything because control will be difficult," he said when closing the Apkasi (Association of District Administrations) Investment and Trade International Summit (AITIS) 2016 here Saturday.
Apkasi organized the AITIS 2016 at JIExpo Kemayoran from May 5-7 as part of the efforts to attract foreign investment to the regions.
During the event a number of memorandums of understanding were signed with foreign parties such as China and Japan.
Citing an example, President Joko Widodo said that there was a region that only provides golfing facilities and it grows.
"It is not impossible for regions here to develop only sugar or fish, so that they are known as sugar or fish regions," he said.
The president again reminded that Indonesia has now entered a competitive era, and said, "If we are unable to change ourselves we will be run over. We must win the competition if we wish to become a victorious nation."
He also asked regional governments to be smart in marketing their potential to investors such as speeding up the licensing process.
"If BKPM (capital investment coordinating board) could finish the process of eight licenses within an hour, regional governments must also be able to do it," he said.
The president also asked regional governments to not rely on raw commodities but be able to market products from downstream process.
"Regions must be able to attract investors. The key to improving the welfare of the people is making more money to circulate in the regions. There must be inflow of capital," he said.
President Joko Widodo reminded the regions about the importance of anticipating acceleration of current infrastructure development.
"Immediately after an infrastructure project is finished a region must be able to provide good human resources to support it. It must not happen that they have to invite workers from outside the region after a factory, a port and other infrastructure projects are ready. You must anticipate it," he said.
He referred, as an example, to the Masela gas project that will be developed in the next eight years.
"Senior high school graduates must be sent abroad to study further or to Yogyakarta or Surabaya, so that they can master technical skills needed in the project," he said.
The government is continuing to make efforts to improve ease of doing business in the country to push the country's rank up, President Joko Widodo reiterated.
"Several years ago we were ranked 120th. Last year were at the 109th out of 189 countries, which is far below Singapore, which is ranked first, Malaysia 18th and Thailand 49th," he said.
He has ordered the coordinating minister for economic affairs to ensure that country achieves the 40th rank this year, he said.
"Breakthroughs must be taken to achieve it. This is our common task. It is not impossible to achieve it, but indeed we need to work hard. We must not be at 100th or so levels forever," he said. (WDY)
