Jakarta Governor Urges Development That Prioritises Vulnerable Groups
Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said the city’s development must focus on people’s needs and deliver tangible benefits, particularly for vulnerable groups.
According to Pramono, a city’s progress is measured not only by physical infrastructure or landmark projects, but also by the government’s ability to expand access to education, healthcare and social protection.
He made the remarks at a national dialogue and speech titled “Jakarta and National Issues”, organised by the Central Board of the Alumni Association of the Indonesian Nationalist Student Movement (GMNI) in partnership with the Jakarta Provincial Government at Jakarta City Hall on Monday (19 October).
“A leader’s task is to continue good work that remains unfinished, improve what is still lacking, and ensure every policy delivers tangible benefits,” Pramono said.
He explained that, from the start of his administration with Deputy Governor Rano Karno, the Jakarta Provincial Government had set three priorities: education, healthcare and social protection.
These three areas underpin policies intended to ensure the benefits of development are shared more evenly, including with people on limited incomes.
Pramono said government support should reach a range of groups, from informal-sector workers, public transport drivers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to young people who have yet to receive opportunities to fulfil their potential.
Jakarta’s development should therefore aim not only to strengthen economic competitiveness, but also to widen opportunities for people to improve their welfare and quality of life.
Pramono also urged GMNI alumni to help oversee the direction of Jakarta’s development. He said their experience, expertise and networks could support the formulation of policies that respond more effectively to public concerns.
He said urban development required the involvement of a range of stakeholders so that policies could promote economic growth, equal opportunities and the public interest.
“That role is increasingly important because Jakarta’s future will not be determined by the government alone. It will depend on how the government, academics, businesses, civil society, communities, the media and all residents work together in the common interest,” he said.
At the same forum, the Governor stressed the importance of translating the values of Pancasila into public policy.
He said national unity should not merely be invoked at forums or ceremonial events, but should be realised through inclusive development that responds to people’s needs.
Pramono said he hoped collaboration between the government and different parts of society would help Jakarta become a global city without neglecting equitable development, environmental sustainability or its national identity.
“Let us deliver development that is not only fast, but on the right course: to make Jakarta a global city that is comfortable for its residents, productive for the economy, sustainable for future generations and open to the world without losing its identity as part of Indonesia,” Governor Pramono concluded.