PSI NTT Demands Jokowi's Development Track Record Not Deleted Due to Political Differences 

JAKARTA - The Secretary of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) PSI DPW, Junaidin Mahasan, asked the public not to mix political choice differences with assessments of the record of development in NTT during the era of the seventh President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

Ahead of Jokowi's visit to NTT on July 31 to August 2, 2026, Junaidin assessed that the public still remembers various development programs carried out during the previous government.

According to Junaidin, Jokowi's name is still synonymous with a number of infrastructure projects and policies that have a direct impact on connectivity in NTT.

"Every time his name (Jokowi) is mentioned again, the NTT people's memory about the legacy and the traces of development in NTT also comes to the surface. In the era of Mr. Jokowi, the development paradigm shifted from Java-centric to Indonesia-centric," said Junaidin to reporters, Thursday, July 30.

He said that the change in the development paradigm was felt by the community through the construction of roads, ports, strengthening connectivity, the development of tourism areas, to the Sea Toll program.

"For most people in NTT, the paradigm shift is not just a slogan. People see it through infrastructure development, strengthening connectivity, road and port development, tourism area development, and the Sea Toll program. The Sea Toll is not just a ship that sails from one port to another. The Sea Toll is a symbol of a change in the way the country sees NTT," he said.

Junaidin said the Sea Toll was one of the policies that strengthened relations between regions in NTT and reduced obstacles due to the geographical conditions of the archipelago.

"The sea, which used to be a separator, is slowly being turned into a road. The distance, which used to be a barrier, is starting to be turned into connectivity. And the islands that used to feel far away, are starting to be connected with the pulse of national development," he explained.

He emphasized that political differences should not erase the facts of development that the community has felt.

"Therefore, if anyone today tries to downplay the meaning of development in NTT just because of political reasons, I want to say, Please have different political choices. But don't erase the historical facts. In the era of Mr. Jokowi, the development paradigm shifted from Java-centric to Indonesia-centric," said Junaidin.

According to him, the concept of Indonesia-centric is proof of the presence of the state in the archipelago, border, and areas that have been facing isolation.

"This is the meaning of Indonesia-centric: the state is present not only in growth centers, but also in border areas, islands, and remote areas that have been isolated. So for some people in NTT, Mr. Jokowi is not just a former President. He is a figure who left a story, policy, and development that is still felt to this day," he said.

Junaidin also assessed that Jokowi's visit to NTT was not only seen as a political agenda, but also became a momentum to revive people's memories of various policies that had been carried out by the central government in the region.

"Therefore, when Mr. Jokowi comes back to NTT, what emerges is not only nostalgia, but also the collective memory of the people of NTT about what has been done and what is still his legacy," he added.