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Economy

President Jokowi Wants to Transform Entikong into Modern Economic Center

Entikong border crossing checkpoint, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Entikong border crossing checkpoint, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Pontianak, West Kalimantan, 14 Jumadil Akhir 1437/24 March 2016 (MINA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said he wanted Entikong, the border town in West Kalimantan to be developed into a new modern economic center.

“We want to see brisk economic activities here with modern markets to accommodate small businesses, not shopping malls,” the president said when making an inspection visit to border check point in Entikong in the border between West Kalimantan and the Malaysian state of Sarawak.

He said he wanted the border post to be a pride for the nation.

Border areas should swerve as “our windows, our front yard that anyone coming from across the border would be impressed that we are a big nation,” the president said.

He said development of infrastructure should not be concentrated on Java , but should start from frontier areas.

“We want that the points of economic growth to be in frontier areas such as in Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara and Papua,” he said.

During his earlier visit in January last year to the border areas the president passed order to develop the frontier area, Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) quoted Antara as reporting.
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“Entikong as I was told and see , has remained the same , unchanged for the last 25 years. No wonder it is far lagging behind the area across the border (Malaysia),” he said.

The president expressed dissatisfaction with the progress made in the construction of the Entikong State Border Cross Post (PLBN) .

“This is not finished. This is to be finished by the end of 2016. It would bigger and better than the one across the border,” he said.

Construction of the project that will also include modern market center to cost around Rp512.5 billion started in August last year.

The construction of the PLBN is considered strategic as Entikong is the main gate for cross border economic activities in West Kalimantan.

PLBN would also be built in the Aruk and Nanga Badau areas.

In the visit Jokowi was accompanied by the First Lady Mrs Iriana Joko Widodo, deputy chairman of the People Consultative Assembly (MPR) Oesman Sapta Odang, Indonesian Armed Forces Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo and a number of cabinet ministers. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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