AHY Affirms Sustainable Infrastructure as a Development Paradigm

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Menko IPK) Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has emphasised that infrastructure development must become the primary instrument in realising inclusive economic growth, whilst simultaneously preserving the environment. According to AHY, sustainability must become the main paradigm of national development, no longer merely a supplementary issue in every policy formulation. “We must deliver a policy and strategy to build resilience as a nation but also competitiveness. And this must be based on three pillars,” AHY stated in Jakarta on Wednesday. The first pillar, he said, is of course economic progress and growth. The second is public welfare. And the last, which is no less important, is environmental sustainability. He said global dynamics marked by geopolitical uncertainty, conflict, climate change, and technological developments demand that Indonesia build resilience while enhancing competitiveness through development policies capable of balancing economic growth, public welfare, and environmental preservation. In his capacity as Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, AHY explained that infrastructure development is directed towards strengthening food, energy, and water security. It also aims to improve the quality of life for the people, strengthen national connectivity, support environmental resilience, and realise equitable development across all regions of Indonesia. According to him, infrastructure development is no longer measured solely by the number of projects built, but also by the benefits generated for the community and its ability to address the challenges of climate change. “The environment is a very important, very strategic and global issue. But it certainly requires infrastructure support. Infrastructure is not just about how much we build, but how good the benefits and impacts are,” said AHY. Furthermore, he asserted that sustainable development can only be realised through the collaboration of all pentahelix elements, namely the government, businesses, academia, communities, and the media. “We need a pillar, not just a strong pillar of democracy, but also to deliver education and build broad public awareness about sustainability, about the issues of our earth and environment,” he added.