Jokowi Wants Next Leaders To Dare To Maintain The Sustainability Of The Program

President Joko Widodo held a meeting with a number of editor-in-chief of the national media at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (10/8/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Biro Press of the Presidential Secretariat/Lukas)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said Indonesia needed leaders who dared to maintain the policies that had been made in advancing the nation, such as downstreaming the industry.

"In the future, I don't think it's about who the president is, the most important thing in my opinion is whether or not (to) be consistent with what we have started, whether we dare or not, this requires courage," Jokowi said in his meeting with a number of national media editors at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. reported by ANTARA, Thursday, August 10.

As quoted from the statement from the Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat, Jokowi assessed that this courage and consistency were needed because the challenges and pressures faced by Indonesia in the future would increase.

Later we need something in the future because the pressures in my opinion are getting tougher, more guts, courage. Second, consistency. Consistency alone is because it requires endurance, it needs leverage," he said.

Jokowi said that bold policies such as downstream industry will face challenges that are not easy. He said these challenges could have an impact on the national economy so consistency is needed to maintain existing policies.

The Head of State gave an example when the World Trade Organization or WTO won a European Union lawsuit about Indonesia's decision to stop exporting nickel ore.

"We will not stop even though we are being sued," he said.

The President believes that if Indonesia can consistently maintain industrial downstream in the next few years, then Indonesia can become a developed country.

"My hope is, if we continue to be consistent like this within 15 years, please calculate our income per capita (income per capita), how much will we increase. I am sure that above 10,000 US dollars. This means that it has entered the (category) of developed countries because the income per capita for developed countries is usually above 11,000 US dollars," he said.