Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture: Coastal Areas Have a Strategic Role in the Economy

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenko PMK)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy said coastal areas play a strategic role in the economy, biodiversity, tourism, fisheries and other sectors.

"So Indonesia is too big if you only look at it using Jakarta's eyes. That's why the President is obsessed with moving Jakarta to another place which is now in IKN," said Muhadjir in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 13.

Muhadjir reminded policy makers to be able to make regulations that are appropriate and in accordance with the conditions of their respective regions and communities, including coastal areas.

According to him, through well-targeted policies, sustainable coastal protection and management will have a direct impact on the welfare of the surrounding community.

"This issue must be paid attention to so that the Indonesian archipelago, which Bung Karno described as the Emerald of the Equator, can truly look beautiful, both from the outside and from the inside," he said.

Muhadjir reminded policy makers not to look at Jakarta and Java as references in making decisions. Policies applied to the community must be based on the potential and socio-cultural conditions of the community in each region.

This expression is suspected by the many policies that are "Jakarta centric" or "Java centric" and are forced to be implemented in all regions of Indonesia. This effort is considered ineffective in developing and empowering the potential of different regions.

"There are a lot of 'helicopter policies', just look from a distance and the policies are very Jakarta centric and Java centric," he said.

According to him, Indonesia's coastal areas have strategic value and hold various potentials. Data states that 327 or 63.2 percent of districts/cities in Indonesia are located in coastal areas.

Maritime economic development in coastal areas has great and diverse potential and is expected to contribute positively to the economic growth target of 6-7 percent in 2042 and 15 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) in 2045.

Based on this potential, he said, various problems that still surround coastal areas, such as extreme poverty, underdevelopment, education and health problems can actually be resolved.

"Therefore, building a resilient coast to create superior human resources and advanced Indonesia is a necessity," he said.