Prabowo Urges KAI to Boost Railway Investment and Public Service

Semarang – President Prabowo Subianto has delivered a message to PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) to increase investment in the railway sector, including improvements to safety at level crossings.

“I want to leave a clear message with Kereta Api Indonesia: we must invest more in railways,” Prabowo said in his remarks during the inauguration of the first phase of renovations to the heritage-listed Semarang Tawang Station building in Semarang, Central Java, on Thursday, 30 July 2026.

The President said there are still thousands of railway level crossings that need to be equipped with adequate and automated gates to reduce the risk of accidents.

According to him, investment in the rail sector must continue to be increased because railways play a significant role in the life of a modern nation.

Prabowo noted that railways are an economical logistics instrument as well as a means of transport that provides benefits to the wider community, especially lower-income groups.

Railways are also an instrument of the people’s economy, so their operation should not be oriented purely towards profit. Railways, he said, must remain efficient while fulfilling their public service function so they can help lower- and middle-income communities.

“Railways must serve the people, which is why in many countries railways are regarded as a public service, not merely pursuing profit, but they must be efficient, so that later there will be trains directed at helping low-income people,” he said.

Prabowo also assessed that rail services need to reach smaller cities. According to him, the development of high-speed rail must not ignore the needs of people in smaller areas to obtain transport services.

Furthermore, the President asked PT KAI to develop the rail system in a holistic and comprehensive manner.

“Kereta Api Indonesia must truly think holistically and comprehensively. We are pursuing modernisation, we are pursuing technology. But remember, technology and all facilities exist to serve the people,” Prabowo said.

Those accompanying President Prabowo at the inauguration of the revitalisation of Tawang Station included Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.