"In the past, other countries, such as Malaysia, took a cue from the toll roads built in Indonesia, but now, they have left us behind, so we must catch up with them."Medan (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo highlighted the need for Indonesia to catch up with other Asian countries in the development of toll roads.
"In the past, other countries, such as Malaysia, took a cue from the toll roads built in Indonesia, but now, they have left us behind, so we must catch up with them," he noted at a dialog with editors-in-chief here on Friday.
To that end, the government will continue to build toll roads, including those in North Sumatra, he noted.
The construction of toll roads has helped to smooth the flow of goods and people, so that progress in all fields, particularly the economic sector, could be realized, he pointed out.
By the end of 2018, the country's toll roads spanned 782 kilometers in length, and it is projected to reach 1,854 kilometers until late 2019, he stated.
"The length of toll roads is still not sufficient, so we must build more toll roads in several regions, including North Sumatra," he noted.
The president reiterated the need for huge investment to build toll roads for which the government invites both foreign and domestic investors to get involved in the project.
At the start, the construction of toll roads is burdensome since huge investment is needed. However, the toll roads have a great impact on economic growth, he added.
Reporting by Evalisa Siregar, Suharto
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Evalisa Siregar
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
