"We are designing 50 priority cities and towns, metropolitan to emerging, balancing growth between Java and regions beyond," he said at the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum (ISF) 2025 here on Friday.
According to him, cities in Indonesia contribute around 45.5 percent to the national gross domestic product (GDP). However, rapid growth has resulted in pressure, increased rates, sprawling settlements, and slowed mobility.
"We cannot build just more roads. We must build more futures. Cities must not only grow, but also glow, glow with dignity, equity, and opportunity," he remarked.
In this regard, he affirmed that the government has a clear response: the One Map, One Data, and One Plan policy to ensure every investment builds resilience, not only momentum.
He emphasized that sustainable development is necessary in the face of the climate crisis, whose impacts are affecting regions in Indonesia, such as East Nusa Tenggara, which experienced drought, and Bali, which has been hit by floods.
The minister further said that infrastructure is not only an engine of growth but also the protector of climate balance, the ecosystem, and social equity.
"That is why governance matters because sustainability is not a choice, it is a necessity," he said.
On that occasion, he also introduced the PU608 vision of the Ministry of Public Works.
Through its PU608 vision, the ministry is seeking to reduce the Incremental Capital Output Ratio to below 6, alleviate poverty towards zero-percent poverty, and boost economic growth to be at 8 percent per year.
The vision represents a new direction for the national infrastructure development that is more efficient, inclusive, and has a tangible impact on the community. Through this approach, development is not only carried out to pursue quantity but also quality and sustainability.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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