Coordinating Minister AHY Ensures Infrastructure Development Delivers Economic Growth to Regions

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono has affirmed that economic growth generated by government infrastructure development must be felt directly by the public. “We want to ensure that the economic growth resulting from infrastructure development also flows to the regions and is felt directly by the community. Ultimately, the goal of development is to improve people’s welfare and deliver equitable development across Indonesia,” AHY stated in Jakarta on Monday. He stressed that infrastructure development must have a direct impact on society and not be solely oriented towards physical construction. The current infrastructure development paradigm must be increasingly directed towards reducing people’s living costs, improving the quality of public services, creating jobs, and encouraging more equitable economic growth. “Infrastructure must not merely become a symbol of development. The most important thing is how its impact is felt directly by the community, whether it can strengthen food, energy, and water security, improve quality of life, and create economic opportunities,” AHY said. He explained that infrastructure development is not only about answering today’s needs but also about preparing for the future. Therefore, every project must be well-designed, implemented effectively, and provide sustainable benefits for future generations. As the coordinating ministry overseeing five technical ministries and various related agencies, the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development has a mandate to ensure national development aligns with government targets and priorities. AHY noted that current infrastructure development must support various national priority agendas, ranging from food security, energy security, and clean water provision to improving human resource quality and equitable development between regions. He also emphasised the importance of strengthening basic infrastructure that touches people’s daily needs, such as housing, irrigation networks, access to clean water, sanitation, and connectivity that accelerates mobility and economic activity. According to him, the success of infrastructure development is not only measured by the number of projects built but also by the benefits felt by the community in their daily lives. “We want to ensure that infrastructure development truly delivers real benefits, reduces logistics costs, increases productivity, opens access to basic services, and expands economic opportunities for the community,” he said. AHY added that strengthening monitoring, evaluation, and cross-ministerial coordination functions is a crucial factor in ensuring every development programme runs effectively, is on target, and yields optimal results. He added that strong synergy between the central government, regional governments, the House of Representatives, and all stakeholders is key to accelerating inclusive and sustainable national development.