Vice presidential candidate number 2 Gibran Rakabuming Raka on Friday said that the sustainable development of the new national capital, Nusantara, will open new economic growth centers, create jobs, and improve access and connectivity.
"The Nusantara sustainable development will open new economic growth points, open access and connectivity, and jobs," he highlighted while sharing his and Prabowo Subianto's vision and mission during the vice presidential candidate debate organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU) here on Friday.
According to him, Nusantara's development is not just about building government buildings, rather, it is expected to serve as a symbol of equality and transformation of development in Indonesia, which is something that must be realized.
Furthermore, he said that Indonesia must increase economic added value in order to escape the middle-income trap.
"Amid the global recession, trade wars, and geopolitical conflicts, our country's average economic growth remains resilient at an average of 5 percent," he noted.
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He said that Indonesia's quality economic growth has been supported by a decrease in unemployment, and poverty, a decline in the Gini ratio, and a controlled inflation rate.
For this reason, Raka informed, he and his running mate Subianto are committed to continuing downstream policies, not only in mining, but also in agriculture, fisheries, digital, and other sectors.
"We also strive to equalize development that is no longer Java-centric and continue to boost the creative economy and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). We have 64 million MSMEs that contribute 61 percent to our GDP (gross domestic product)," he pointed out.
The first vice presidential debate was held on Friday as part of the 2024 election debate series.
KPU chairperson Hasyim Asy'ari expressed the hope that the debate would help people in determining their choice of candidate.
Related news: 2024 election: KPU opens vice presidential debate
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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