Governor Anies Eyeing Jakarta as a Globally Competitive City

The Jakarta Government opened an online City/Regency Development Planning Forum (Musrenbang) 2023 on Monday (3/28).

Therefore, we want this city to continue preparing both soft and hard infrastructure to be a globally competitive city

Musrenbang was held following Instruction of Minister of Home Affairs No. 70/2021 on Document Preparation of Regional Development Planning for Regions with Regional Head whose Term of Office Ends in 2022.

Therefore, the making of the Regional Government Working Plan (RKPD) 2023 is referring to the Provincial Regional Development Plan (RPD) 2023-2026, which is currently in the process of finalization.

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This forum carried the theme of 'Acceleration of Jakarta's Excellence to Create a Globally Competitive City that is Resilience, Inclusive, Equitable'.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan assessed that the theme was very appropriate because Jakarta is a representation of Indonesia in the eyes of the international community thus it has a very important role in the future.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we know that the center of government will no longer be in Jakarta, and Jakarta will be the center of economic, cultural, and cross-ethnic activities. On the other hand, Jakarta is Indonesia's gateway to the world and the world's gateway to Indonesia. Therefore, we want this city to continue preparing both soft and hard infrastructure to be a globally competitive city," he explained, as quoted from Jakarta PPID's Press Release.

To make Jakarta a global city, he added, solutions should also be found for all city problems. Including preparing an ecosystem that facilitated equitable economic growth and resilience to various challenges, including disasters. One of the efforts for equitable economic growth could be realized by providing equal opportunities for all business actors, from large to ultra-micro.

"We must also be ready to face challenges, whether things we predict or unexpected such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, all parties must seriously anticipate any potential challenges, whether due to climate change or related to health such as the pandemic," he added.

While for the experience in dealing with Covid-19 over the past two years had also become an important lesson on how Jakarta was tested as a city with global competitiveness. Because Jakarta had passed the crisis well, not only in terms of health but also socioeconomic.

"I hope we can take lessons from yesterday's pandemic events. Not only on the health aspect but also the economic and social aspects. Hopefully, our development in Jakarta can take advantage of past events for future development," he continued.  

Regarding development targets, the Jakarta Government had set 10 development target points in 2023, namely:

1. Reducing inequality through the fulfillment of basic needs and social protection guarantees, maintaining social cohesiveness in the community, thus making the city stable

2. Improving the Quality, Accessibility, and Ease of Community Services in each region must be taken seriously and ensure that there is a service improvement. Thus, it can meet people's expectations of Jakarta Provincial Government services

3. Reducing Inequality through Gender-Responsive Development

4. Equitable Educational Opportunities for All and Education Regarding Lifelong Learning. For instance, the reform in new student admission which reflects the principle of equality

5. Improving the Quality and Life Expectancy by Improving City Health

6. Economic Growth and Business Sector Based on Experience and Added Value

7. Acceleration of Digital Transformation and Smart City Management Development. Not only having a smart city dashboard that monitors what is happening in this city but it is also hoped that the public will have a dashboard. Thus, the JAKI application needs to be optimized for its utilization

8. Pushing the Opportunity, Empowerment, and Adaptability of the Workforce. This is important because the pandemic has made many changes in the workforce structure

9. Urban Ecosystem Recovery and Low Carbon Development Implementation. It's going well because it managed to reduce the greenhouse effect by 30 percent in 2030 and now it is 26 percent

10. Developing the Quality Infrastructure and Basic Urban Services

Even, he prompted the mayors and regents to not only focus on development that is visible on the surface, but also on things that are invisible but have a huge impact on the stability of Jakarta City

"Some of the people's needs cannot be photographed. Hence, we should not build things that can only be photographed, even though it needs serious efforts for things that cannot be photographed, such as peace, harmony, happiness, and so on," he added

They were also asked to prepare development program plans and activities that refer to the policy directions and priorities set out in RPD 2023-2026.

"Be a collaborator who encourages the active participation of residents as co-creators of Jakarta development. The government, society, and business are elements that cannot be separated in the development planning process. Thus, collaboration and synergy between elements are very important in the planning process," he stated.