Jokowi to kick off govt projects early

JAKARTA. In a move to speed up the country’s development, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced on Monday that he would issue a presidential instruction (Inpres) stipulating the completion of all government project tenders by March each year.

Speaking in front of ministers and governors in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace to present the budget implementation entry lists (DIPA), President Jokowi said the government must immediately start its planned development projects and not pile them up in the last few months of the year.

“Don't repeat the same mistakes,” he said.

“I will soon issue an Inpres to ensure that all [tenders on government] projects or events are completed by March. Such a process should have been able to begin immediately after the money was transferred [to the respective ministries and regions].”

An early kick-off, Jokowi continued, would allow the public see the best returns from the state-budget allocation.

“It will result in quality [improvement] of goods, projects, or buildings since [tender winners] will not be in a hurry [to complete government projects] in October, November or December,” he said. (Hasyim Widhiarto)