"Actually, it has been issued to the Finance Ministry so it would be a state budget program, however, due to the overwhelming number of complaints sent to Mr. President about the damaged roads in the regions, we (will just go ahead) with the presidential regulation about regional roads, which we (were to) do this July (2023), immediately," the minister said in a statement received here on Tuesday.
Hadimuljono further said that he had received a report from the director general of highways that KIAT would support the presidential instruction as part of improving the quality of regional roads.
The minister expressed his gratitude over the support for the efforts outlined in the Presidential Instruction Number 3 of 2023 about Regional Road Connectivity Improvement, which was issued in March 2023.
He said that Australia and Indonesia's bilateral relations have been going really well, allowing the two to pursue their targets related to infrastructure development in Indonesia.
Minister Hadimuljono commended the two countries' collaborative efforts in many infrastructure projects ranging from road, clean water, sanitation, and government-to-business cooperation, all of which have been carried out through the ministry and KIAT.
"What's unique about KIAT is that they are partnered with the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry to not only assist with physical development programs, but the regulation concepts which were recently introduced to us, (those) have been assisted by KIAT, such as government-to-business cooperation and regional road grants," he highlighted.
Director of facility at KIAT, Steven Chaytor, listed some collaborations that have been and will be carried out by the Indonesian government using funding from Australia, including provincial road improvement and maintenance in West Nusa Tenggara, West Lombok district, and Probolinggo district.
“We will also pursue the Regional Road Grant program by giving technical aid for the road assets management system and supporting regional government capacity for road improvement," Chaytor informed.
He also spoke about the Pejagan-Cilacap Toll project, which incorporates climate-resistant design, installation of a water waste management network in Palembang, technical and financial improvement program for Air Minum region-owned enterprise, as well as the continuation of sub-national road maintenance.
Minister Hadimuljono also attended the inauguration of KIAT's new office. He congratulated the agency over the new office and said he expected the office to further bilateral relations among the countries in infrastructure aspects.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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