Jakarta Governor Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo asserted that intensive cooperation between regions, ranging from provinces to regencies/cities, is very effective to ward off imported goods from coming in to Indonesia. Through routine communication, inter-regional heads can notify the excess or deficiency of their territories.

Big ship supposed to be passing every day to Belawan Port (Medan), Tanjung Priok Port (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak Port (Surabaya), until Sorong Port (Papua)

“South Sulawesi, for instance, which rice surplus is 2.6 million tons, while in Jakarta is minus. That’s why I directly held cooperation, and the rice was sent to Jakarta on the same day. I’m afraid that if the rice was not sent, we’ll be using imported rice,” uttered Jokowi on the sidelines of National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) V for the 2014 National Coordination Meeting of Regional Inflation Control Teams (TPID), at Sahid Hotel, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (5/21).

According to Jokowi, inter-regional cooperation can also assist infrastructures development like marine transportation. He assessed that transportation must connect the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, until Papua. Thus, there would be no significant difference of goods’ price in Java Island and Papua.

“Big ship supposed to be passing every day to Belawan Port (Medan), Tanjung Priok Port (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak Port (Surabaya), until Sorong Port (Papua). So, cement price in Java and Papua would be same, Rp 50 thousand,” he stated.

In this meeting, regions achieving TPID Award are announced. Unfortunately, Jakarta is not listed in the best nomination for provinces in Java Island due to high inflation rate at that time, which was 8 percent. The provinces achieving the award are South Sumatera, Yogyakarta, and Central Kalimantan.