PUPR Minister: People have enjoyed the benefit of dams and roads
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Menteri PUPR: Manfaat bendungan dan jalan sudah dirasakan rakyat
24 May 2023
By: Unggul Wirawan
Jakarta - Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono believes that the benefits of dams and roads have been enjoyed by the people.
“A long time ago, there was a flood in Kalimantan. The only region that was not flooded is near Tapin Dam that was just recently inaugurated,” Basuki said during an exclusive interview with B-Universe at the PUPR Ministry Building in Kebayoran Baru in South Jakarta on Monday (22/05/2023) afternoon.
Besides preventing floods, the PUPR Ministry believes that dams in West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara will be beneficial for irrigation.
“We will continue to perfect the construction with an irrigation network. We are building 61 dams. This year, there are 13 dams that will be completed. The dams that will be completed next year will be fitted with an irrigation network,” Basuki said.
From 2015 to 2022, the PUPR Ministry had completed 36 dams. The 36 dams can distribute water to 245,103 hectares (ha) of crop fields that are 4 times the size of Jakarta, which have the potential to increase rice production to 2 million tonnes per year and provide additional raw water of 17,19 m3 per second to fulfil the needs of 10 million people. The people who previously used boats now can use land transportation.
“Trans-Papua road currently spans more than 1,000 km from Merauke to Oksibil. The border road in Timor has also been completed,” he said.
Basuki added that the benefits of toll road infrastructure construction has been clearly proven. During the last homecoming season, there was no issue of travellers being stuck for hours on the road.
“Usually, it takes two days to get to Semarang. Now, it only takes 6 hours door to door,” he added.
Taking over
On the other hand, Basuki mentioned that the central government’s effort to take over damaged road repairs in several regions was in line with the decentralisation principle. Basuki claims that the central government will take over the handling of an issue if the regional government cannot resolve said issue.
Basuki ensures that the central government taking over damaged road repairs in several regions is in line with the decentralisation principle. Basuki explained that the central government would quickly support regional governments if a construction was deemed too difficult for the regional government, the provincial government, or the regency government.
Furthermore, Basuki mentioned that several infrastructure projects, such as the construction of irrigation networks in various regions, would be taken over by the central government according to their categories.
“However, for irrigation handling in the decentralisation principle, more than 3,000 hectares is under the authority of the central government, 2,000 to 3,000 hectares is the responsibility of provincial governments, and less than 2,000 hectares is under the authority of regency or local governments,” Basuki revealed.
Basuki added that, besides infrastructure project construction, the central government would provide other support for regional governments if they cannot handle a certain issue. Besides handling road repairs, the central government will also support regional governments in handling natural disasters.
“If the government below cannot, they can hand it over to the government above, similar to natural disasters. Regarding natural disasters, regional governments will handle them if they can, but natural disasters will be handled by the central government if the regional governments cannot,” Basuki added.
In line with the decentralisation principle, Basuki revealed that the inability of regional governments to handle road repairs in their regions was one of the main factors for the issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 3/2023 on Acceleration in the Improvement of the Connectivity of Regional Roads. Another factor why the central government is taking over road repairs is that the damaged roads are costing locals.
“The criteria have been stated by the President. We will take over if the damaged roads are costing the people, disturbing logistics, affecting logistics costs, and increasing inflation. The central government will take over [damaged roads] that are disturbing,” Basuki affirmed.
IKN basic infrastructures
On the other hand, Basuki ensures that basic infrastructures in Nusantara Capital City (IKN) will be completed before Indonesia’s Independence Day on 17 August 2024. Basuki revealed that the PUPR Ministry was focused on constructing basic facilities and infrastructure, while supporting facilities in IKN will be constructed by private investors.
The PUPR Ministry ensures that the target on Indonesia’s Independence Day on 17 August 2024 can be achieved. Currently, the progress of infrastructure construction in IKN has reached more than 26%. One of the aspects accelerated by the PUPR Ministry is connectivity construction, which includes the toll road between Balikpapan and IKN.
