REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SAMBAS – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had two messages for the people in Aruk (West Kalimantan), a border area between Indonesia and Malaysia. He said the people should keep the economic growth and the national unity. "I am proud because the economic growth in West Kalimantan is more than the average at 5.22 percent. This is high. But it needs to be maintained by the societies,” said Jokowi in the opening of Aruk integrated state cross-border (PLBN) in Sambas, West Kalimantan on Friday (March 17).
The president reminded that the world economic was slowing. Indonesia had been struggle hard to increase the economic growth up to 5.02 percent in 2016. Indonesian economic growth had been in the third position after India and China.
"We need to be thankful for it. The growth can be kept well, but there still many demonstrations. When the oil price is only slightly increasing, the people are demonstrated. (They should) demonstrate for the big corruptors. The fuel price is only increasing for Rp 500 but the demonstration was hold in three months,” he said.
Jokowi said previously the fuel price in Papua was Rp 60 thousand-100 thousand per liter, but during the last five months it was the same to the price in other provinces.
On the same occasion, Jokowi also asked the people to keep the national unity. He said Indonesia was the given by various local language. There were 1.100 different languages used by the Indonesian people. “We like to discriminate people. In fact we are united in a great nation, Indonesian nation. Do not discriminate people, we are all the same,” he said.
The nation diversity needed to support by a unity. It would be a modal to encourage national economic growth. He called the societies to understand Pancasila and Bhineka Tunggal Ika, so the nation harmony would be kept.
Best of the vision of 100 years of Indonesian Independence formulated by the government, Indonesian gross domestic product would reach 9.1 trillion US dollar or Rp 120 thousand trillion by 2045. The income per capita reaches 3.450 US dollar to 29 thousand US dollar. This would be useful for the Indonesian next generation.
President Jokowi also gave Indonesia Smart Card (KIP), additional food (PMT), Conditional Cash Transfer (PKH) and Indonesia Health Card (KIS) to the people in Indonesia-Malaysia border area.