Ridwan Bae: Infrastructure Development In The Jokowi Era Best Of The Best

President Joko Widodo was on a tractor. (photo: Instagram @jokowi)

KENDARI-Infrastructure development in the era of the Joko Widodo government has been running 'on the track'. Its achievements have even exceeded the development of other Indonesian government infrastructure, so far.

"The development of infrastructure during President Joko Widodo's administration for almost nine years is the best among others. I have data. We talk based on data, so we don't just talk," said Ridwan Bae, a senior Golkar Party politician, Saturday (17/9/2022) to the media.

The Deputy Chairman of Commission V of the DPR, who oversees the preparation of the Law, supervision and the APBN, expressed his opinion in response to the statement by the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) who explained the success of development in the era of his father's government, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

AHY said that development in the SBY era was better than in the Jokowi era. Various parameters also make the people more prosperous. However, AHY's statement then reaped various responses, including Ridwan Bae.

The former Regent of Muna, Southeast Sulawesi, emphasized that the success of development in the Jokowi era was much better than the SBY era.

"People are also happier and more prosperous in Pak Jokowi's era, not before" said Ridwan Bae, who was elected as a member of the DPR RI for two terms from the Southeast Sulawesi electoral district. "I speak based on data, not just talking arbitrarily to the media."

Ridwan Bae describes the development achievements in the SBY and Jokowi eras. In 10 years the SBY administration through the United Indonesia Cabinet, 2004-2014, along 189.2 km the toll road was completed construction. Then as many as 18 dams began construction and were completed in the government of President Joko Widodo. From 2004 to 2014, as many as 24 airports (airports) have been construction completed.

From Ridwan Bae's data, from 2014 to September 2022 through two cabinets of Jokowi's government, 1,762.3 km of construction of the toll road has been completed. Dams, 30 constructions have been completed. Then, 29 airports. There was even a construction of 316,590 km of village roads which were also completed construction.

Ridwan Bae also emphasized that Jokowi is still targeting to complete the construction of 750 km of toll roads in the last two governments, namely 2023 and 2024.

"The target planned by Pak Jokowi is approximately 2 years, much longer than the toll road achievement that was built during SBY's leadership for 10 years, which is only 189.2 km," said Ridwan Bae.

"So it's proven right, which one is better. Comparing that with the data so that it becomes a fact, not just talking. Talk to the data," said Ridwan Bae.

"The development of infrastructure in the era of Pak Jokowi is not only felt by people in cities or urban areas, but also to villages and remote areas. So it is very evenly distributed," said Ridwan Bae.

The success and distribution of infrastructure development, called Ridwan Bae, has influenced and supported the process of accelerating the national economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The achievement of infrastructure development during the Covid-19 pandemic greatly influenced the recovery and economic revival process carried out by Mr. Airlangga Hartarto as Chairman of the Committee for Handling the Covid-19 Pandemic and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN)," said Ridwan Bae.

"The success of this infrastructure development is often called Pak Airlangga Hartarto as one of the important instruments in the process of accelerating recovery and revival of the national economy," said Ridwan Bae.