Jokowi said he was able to build toll roads so quickly because he had already found a solution to the source of the problem.
President Joko Widodo or Jokowi said the construction of toll roads was very fast. During his seven years as President, Jokowi said that 1,900 kilometers of toll roads had been built.
This number is very high, when compared to the construction of toll roads in the last 40 years which only reached 780 kilometers.
Jokowi said he was able to build toll roads so quickly because he had already found a solution to the source of the problem.
"I see the problem is always financing. Not looking for alternative financing," said Jokowi at the opening of the signing of the 2022 INA Agreement which was broadcast online, Thursday, April 14, 2022.
Jokowi explained that before he took office as president, the construction of toll roads always depended on the state budget, funds owned by state-owned enterprises, and cooperation with the private sector. However, the development with this scheme did not go well.
As a solution, Jokowi said his party launched the Investment Authority (INA) which functions as a search and match institution for investors from within and outside the country. "This is an alternative financing scheme that we didn't think about before," said Jokowi.
Jokowi said that INA had just signed an investment in the construction of a toll road worth Rp. 39 trillion. He said the funds would be used to continue the construction of the trans-Sumatra toll road.
"I am happy because I imagine the trans-Sumatra toll road from Lampung to Aceh, 2,900 kilometers. If you calculate the cost per kilometer of Rp 90-110 billion, how much is the budget needed? It's very big," said Jokowi. (setkab, tempo)
