The Story Of Jokowi Predicting MRT Will Not Profit

President Jokowi was accompanied by the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan and a number of ministers during the inauguration of the MRT Phase 1 in the Bunderan HI area on March 24, 2019. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - No one doubts the existence of development in the Joko Widodo (Jokowi) era. The Indonesian president is a savior for stalled projects. He tried to run everything with high supervision. Take for example the construction of mass transportation, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Jakarta.

At first, many were pessimistic that Indonesia could build the MRT. However, Jokowi continued to insist on presenting a new transportation known as the local name: Integrated Moda Raya. As a result, Jakarta residents positively welcomed the presence of the MRT. Even though Jokowi predicted that the MRT would not profit.

Jokowi's government focuses on infrastructure development, not just empty messages. He tried to present even infrastructure development. Jokowi built a lot of infrastructure that was previously failed to be executed by the previous regime from toll roads, dams, to mass transportation.

Take for example the MRT development. MRT development tried to be revived. At first the project had resonated in the 1980s. The New Order Government (Orba) tried to present contemporary mass transportation to beautify Jakarta.

This step is difficult to realize because MRT is not a national project. Not to mention Suharto and the New Order stepped down first in 1998. Recently, the new MRT project was used as a national project in the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) administration.

SBY wants to show that the capital city of Jakarta must be a beacon of national civilization. Alias, the face of Indonesia's progress. SBY's wish is to reply. At that time, the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Jokowi, took the MRT seriously.

The Jakarta leader also inaugurated the laying of the first stone for the construction of Phase 1 of the Lebak Bulus-Bunderan Hotel Indonesia (HI) on October 10, 2013. Later the route will be extended from the HI Roundabout to Kampung Bandan, North Jakarta as Phase 2.

The development requires funds of Rp. 22.54 trillion. All of them came from debt loans from Japan. Jokowi did not forget the seriousness of MRT development when he was promoted to become President of Indonesia from 2014.

Jokowi finally inaugurated the MRT Phase 1 on March 24, 2019. He called the presence of the MRT a form of the birth of a new civilization in Indonesia.

"Today, we will start a new civilization, namely by operating the MRT in DKI Jakarta in the first phase. Who has tried the MRT? First, don't throw garbage on the MRT and our MRT stations. Keep the MRT and stations that we have are not dirty. If you want to take the MRT line up. Don't jostle. Queue and discipline the time. Don't let the door close and just close, close the door later.

"Soon we will continue to the north phase, the second phase. Parallel will be with theeast-west. We will do it hand in hand. The community will be given the convenience to come to a place so that they leave their motorbikes and private cars because they are more comfortable and faster to ride the MRT, transjakarta, and LRT which will also be completed soon. We hope that," said Jokowi as quoted on the State Secretariat website, March 24, 2019.

MRT's presence was indeed greeted with protests. The project is considered to bring in traffic jams and stalls again. However, slowly after the MRT operates, the mass transportation will receive the support of Jakarta residents.

Jokowi also heard about issues related to the MRT which would cost the government. Jokowi tried to speak up. He emphasized that if it is calculated in any way the presence of the MRT will certainly not be profitable. This means that the government is still at a loss.

However, if you look at the wider benefits for Jakarta residents, MRT is something to be grateful for. Many people are starting to benefit from the presence of MRT. They began to leave personal transportation and switch to using the MRT.

MRT can also be a lesson for Jakarta residents to fight Jakarta's congestion. As a result, losses due to traffic jams were largely blocked by the presence of MRT. Jokowi also did not deny that MRT's presence was full of political decisions, not just profit and loss.

He had predicted long ago that the MRT would not be profitable at any time. In fact, Jokowi had predicted before the MRT was inaugurated in 2019. Even so, Jokowi emphasized that Indonesia could be proud that Jakarta was able to keep pace with the progress of other big cities in the world thanks to the presence of MRT.

"Therefore, when I became governor, several meetings I decided to do it immediately. Why is that? With a meeting no matter how many times the numbers will continue, it will not change. Change how many governors the numbers will not change, because indeed the name mass transportation will definitely not bring profits.

"I have to say what it is, the management carried out by those who did very well. We have to talk as it is, very well. These are the costs that must be incurred, both technical and non-technical, which add costs and costs from this project. We are far behind with big cities around the world. If you decide too late, it is also a political decision, don't count the loss profits anymore. It's impossible," Jokowi said as quoted on the Cabinet Secretariat website, September 21, 2015.