AHY emphasises importance of aligning physical and moral development

Bangkalan (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), has emphasised the importance of aligning physical development with the strengthening of national mental, character, and moral values.

“Because balanced development, between physical progress and the strengthening of the nation’s mental, character, and moral foundations, will serve as strong capital in achieving resilience across all sectors, and ultimately become a powerful asset for this nation,” he stated while delivering a national religious discourse at the Nurul Cholil Islamic Boarding School in Bangkalan, East Java, on Sunday.

During the occasion, AHY also called upon students (santri) to stand at the forefront of maintaining unity, nurturing Islamic values, and honing themselves to become superior human resources ready to contribute to both the nation and religion. According to him, students serve as a national fortress, noting that many of the nation’s leaders have emerged from Islamic boarding schools, consistently upholding unity within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

AHY also encouraged the emergence of multi-stakeholder collaboration (pentahelix) involving the government, boarding school institutions, academics, and business actors to design a development ecosystem that is inclusive, sustainable, and directly impactful for the community. “What we are building is not just infrastructure, but also a life ecosystem that is comfortable, productive, and beneficial to the people,” he said.

The Minister’s discourse at the Nurul Cholil Islamic Boarding School is part of a series of activities in the Bangkalan Regency. AHY also symbolically presented three-wheeled motor vehicle assistance to several boarding school managers on Madura Island to facilitate the operational transport and management of domestic waste within the school environments.