West Kalimantan Deputy Governor Would Kiss Jabar Governor's Knee If He Could Build Roads with Rp6 Trillion APBD
West Kalimantan Deputy Governor Krisantus Kurniawan responded to residents’ remarks in Sepauk, Sintang Regency, who compared road conditions in West Java to those in the province.
In his response, he stated he would kiss the knee of West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi (KDM) if it were possible to build West Kalimantan’s roads using the existing regional budget of Rp6 trillion.
“Go ahead, make Dedi Mulyadi the Governor of West Kalimantan. I’d like to see it, but building West Kalimantan with an Rp6 trillion APBD. If he can do it, I’ll kiss his knee,” Krisantus asserted while opening the Musrenbang at the Sintang Regent’s Office, West Kalimantan, on Thursday (9/4) as quoted from detikKalimantan.
Krisantus made the remark in front of officials and guests at the Musrenbang event while addressing the comparison of damaged road conditions in West Kalimantan with West Java.
Krisantus said he had personally viewed a video of residents’ complaints about damaged roads in Bedayan, SP 3, Sepauk Subdistrict, Sintang Regency, which went viral on TikTok.
In the video, road conditions in West Kalimantan were compared to infrastructure in West Java.
“A few days ago, I watched a TikTok from my village in Sepauk. People from Sepauk were very vocal. I don’t know if they were real Sepauk residents or not. Damaged roads were compared to West Java Province,” said Krisantus.
He stressed that such comparisons are not fair, given the differences in territorial size and budgetary capacity.
According to him, West Java has an area of around 43,000 square kilometres with an APBD exceeding Rp30 trillion. Meanwhile, West Kalimantan covers about 171,000 square kilometres but is supported by an APBD of just over Rp6 trillion.
“In that video, someone suggested lending Dedi Mulyadi for three months. Make him the Governor of West Kalimantan, we’ll swap. I’d like to see if he can build West Kalimantan with a six-trillion APBD, I’ll kiss his knee,” he emphasised.
According to Krisantus, the larger the territory, the greater the infrastructure development costs that must be borne by the local government.
“The wider the territory, the heavier the development costs. So, the public must not misunderstand. That’s what’s really happening,” he added.
Not ignoring damaged roads
Nevertheless, Krisantus assured that the government is not standing idle. Handling of damaged roads in Sintang Regency, including in Bedayan, has already begun.
He revealed that the regency government has deployed equipment from the Road and Bridge Implementing Unit (UPJJ) to carry out repairs on the viral route.
“Road and bridge infrastructure in Sintang is indeed challenging with the existing fiscal capacity. But the government will not stand idle,” he asserted.
Previously, residents’ complaints about damaged roads in Bedayan became widely discussed after a video uploaded by a resident named Elisabet went viral on social media. In the video, she even called for attention from West Kalimantan Governor Ria Norsan and mentioned Dedi Mulyadi’s name.
“Please, Kang Dedi. Our road is in ruins. Our governor seems fainted. No building of our road,” she said in the video.
The upload then spread widely and sparked various public reactions, including from children in the area who also voiced the road conditions in their region.