REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said Indonesia had done its best to catch up on development over the past one year in the face of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

"We have no words other than hard work in catching up on development and in overcoming shortcomings," President Jokowi said when addressing the opening of the First National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) for the 2016-2020 period here on Sunday.

He said all member countries shared the same worries on what would happen in the implementation of the AEC.

"They are afraid of being flooded by Indonesian goods. There are fears among us (ASEAN members). They are afraid, why should we also be afraid?. We should be confident, although we have to improve many things. But (actually) we can compete," the President said.

Jokowi said Indonesia had made several efforts to catch up on the development in the face of AEC such as the development of infrastructure, namely seaports and airports.

He said in 2016 the government was giving attention to the development of the Indonesian eastern region.

With multiple amount of budget compared to that in the previous year, the government hoped to create balance in the development results across the country, he said.

"We want to have sovereignty, (economic) independence and (cultural) dignity, and for that if I consider something is right, and indeed it is right, I will never have doubts to do it," he said.

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