Jokowi Asks Basuki To Complete All Tenders In The First Quarter Of 2021

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono to accelerate the tender for development packages in 2021. The goal is that all packages have been tendered and the contracts signed in the first quarter of 2021.

"I noted that there are still quite a lot of remaining infrastructure activity packages that have not been tendered. For that, I ask the PUPR Minister to accelerate it. So that in the first quarter all packages have been tendered and the contracts have been signed," while giving directions at the signing of the Tender Package Contract. Early Selection of the Ministry of PUPR for Fiscal Year 2021 at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Friday, January 15.

Jokowi said, accelerating the tender is very important in order to move the national economy which is currently under pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also asked all levels of the Ministry of PUPR to work even faster in realizing the development programmed in the 2021 State Budget.

"We have to be aware that we are still in a state of crisis. The spirit must be different, the aura must be different, we have to move to the extraordinary channel. By working faster, we can leverage economic growth," he said.

Jokowi also mentioned that national economic growth experienced a deep contraction in 2020. The economy in the second quarter of 2020 fell rapidly to minus 5.32 percent, then to minus 3.49 percent in the third quarter of 2020. However, he assessed, although minus, but getting better.

"We hope that in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, our economic growth will rebound and experience a recovery again," he explained.

To achieve recovery, said Jokowi, speed at work is the main key. Especially during this pandemic, many people have lost their jobs. So that the speed in executing work, especially labor-intensive projects can ease the burden on the community.

"Once again the key is our speed at work," he said.

Even so, Jokowi emphasized that the PUPR Ministry should not ignore the principles of good governance, but must work quickly with simple new breakthroughs. He also wants the development process to be in accordance with the rules and be transparent.

"The process must be correct according to the rules. The most important thing is that the outcome is also properly maintained so that it has a significant impact on the economic recovery of our country," he said.