Our economic orientation is more on agriculture and food security./
Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Continuation of the Master Plan of Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development (MP3EI), depends on president elect Joko Widodo (Jokowi), an economic observer said.

MP3EI is a program launched by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono three years earlier aimed at creating new economic centers and connectivity between all regions in the worlds largest archipelago.

"The program is good and needs to be continued and expanded with working programs of the coming government," Dr Thomas Ola Langoday, from the Widaya Mandira Catholic University in Kupang, said.

However, the program has to be modified to be in line with the visions of Jokowi and vice president elect M. Jusuf Kalla (JK), Dr Thomas said here on Wednesday.

Chief of staff of Jokowi-JK Team of Transition Rini Soemarno had been quoted as saying the administration of Jokowi-JK would consider to implement MP3EI.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had asked Jokowi to continue the program which was designed to be fully implemented by 2025.

"I entrusted to Mr Jokowi, our next president to carry it out what we have begun with MP3EI as it still has 11 years to go (until 2025), that our big targets could be achieved," Yudhoyono said when speaking about the implementation of the program over the past three years.

Jokowi, however, answered that his orientation is different, when asked about the question whether his government would adopt the policy.

"Our economic orientation is more on agriculture and food security," Jokowi, who is known to be populist in his political and economic policy.

Dr Thomas said implementation of infrastructure projects under the MP3EI would boost economic growth in equitable and sustainable system all over the country.

Success in the implementation of the program would improve the countrys competitiveness in global level and would give rise to new economic growth centers in the regions and district areas, he said.

"The new growth centers would be connected with a network of infrastructure to create greater synergy in the regions," he said.

Infrastructure will cover all lines of connectivity both land, sea and air routes that development would equitable all over Indonesia, he said.
(Uu.H-ASG/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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