During the groundbreaking ceremony, the President pressed a siren button to mark the start of the hospital's construction.
"From Fakfak district, my entourage and I flew to Sorong because I made a promise to the Muhammadiyah chairperson to attend the hospital's groundbreaking," he said.
The Muhammadiyah hospital will be an integrated hospital that will also house a hotel and a mall.
"I have never seen such a thing. This is the first time carried out by Muhammadiyah, a hospital with a hotel and mall in Southwest Papua," Widodo said.
According to him, the construction of the Muhammadiyah Hospital will be covered by a grant of Rp256 billion from the state budget.
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The President also promised Muhammadiyah that he will deploy a team from the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry to supervise and finish the construction work next year.
"This will also depend on the state budget's availability. But I think the fund is sufficient," he added.
Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah chairperson Haedar Nashir expressed his appreciation and gratitude to President Widodo for attending the hospital's groundbreaking.
"This is an important momentum, especially for Muhammadiyah University in Sorong (Unimuda). (The President) has visited Papua a few times, but this is his first time in Unimuda," he noted.
According to Nashir, the hospital will mark a milestone for Muhammadiyah and Southwest Papua residents because the President has agreed to build a strategic hospital in the region.
"This is the hospital that the President will build for Southwest Papua, through the Muhammadiyah. We are just a bridge to connect good deeds from the country," he added.
Muhammadiyah is the second-largest Muslim organization in Indonesia. Founded in 1912, the organization runs many schools and universities throughout the country.
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Translator: Yuvensius Lasa B, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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