REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Construction Contractor Association (Gapensi) wants all parties to join forces in fully supporting the seriousness of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in developing infrastructure in Papua.

"His (President Jokowi's) policy is right to build massive infrastructure in Papua to eliminate the province's backwardness," Secretary General of Gapensi Andi Rukman Karumpa said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

For that, he said, the good intention and plans of the President in building Papua also should not be politicized by various parties that do not support the development of Papua.

Andi acknowledged that building Papua needs a huge cost, so the efforts of the central government to seek funds either through increasing debt and improvising other financial sources should not to be questioned.

"Let alone (if the funds are used to develop) the productive sectors such as infrastructure development in Papua. Moreover, the ratio (of the debt) against Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is still safe," he said.

Andi pointed out that there are parties who want Papua to remain backward and try to hamper infrastructure financing which is why all parties must fully support the government'a big plans to accelerate development in Papua.

As it is known that the government of Jakowi has allocated a lot of funds for the development of infrastructure in Papua.

The construction of Trans-Papua Road last year got a budget allocation of Rp2.15 trillion, consisting of Rp739 billion for the maintenance of 1,719.46 kilometer (km), Rp 834.8 billion for construction of 151.34 km new roads, and Rp579.4 billion for construction of bridges.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo said the key to mobilizing the economy and equity in Papua was the acceleration of infrastructure development.

"The construction of airports, ports, roads and bridges (must be done) so as to open all areas of Papua from isolation and facilitate inter-regional, inter-district and inter-regional connectivity," said Jokowi while chairing a Limited Cabinet Meeting on the topic of evaluating the implementation of national strategic projects and priority programs of Papua Province at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on July 19.

According to the President, the province of Papua is a province with the widest area and with abundant natural wealth potential, including mining, agriculture, forestry, marine and fishery sectors.

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