Riau Governor Speech in the Discussion Meeting on Development Planning of Riau Province (part 1)

A pre-meeting speech

Delivered by GOVERNOR of RIAU PROVINCE

ON THE EVENTS: Opening of Discussion Meeting on Development Planning of Riau Province

DATE 25 MARCH 2008


Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarokatuh

The Honourable audiences,

1. Hon Minister of National Development Planning / Head of Bappenas, which in this case represented by Head Inspector of Bappenas;

2. Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, which in this case represented by the Director General of Regional Development;

3. The Head of Finance Auditor and Development (BPKP) RI;

4. Deputy Natural Resources Conservation Improvement and Environmental Damage Control, the Ministry of Environment;

5. Minister of Finance of RI, which represented by Director of Balanced Funds;

6. Members of Parliament and the DPD RI from the Regional Election Riau Province;

7. Chairman of the DPRD Riau Province; together the Chairman of the Commission; Chief of Fraction and Member of Parliament;

8. Vice Governor of Riau Province;

9. Consul of Malaysia & Singapore in Pekanbaru;

10. Muspida colleagues, Chairman of the High Court and the High Court of Religion Riau Province;

11. Chief of Districts and Cities in Riau Province;

12. Chairman of the DPRD in Riau;

13. Regional Secretary, the Assistant, the head of SKPD in the Provincial Government and Districts/Cities and the Head of Region Institution in Riau Province;

14. Director and Head of Bureau in the Planning on all Department and Ministerial;

15. The Rector of Universities, community leaders, religious leaders, and all audiences.

Never less we glorify to Allah SWT, the Lord Almighty, because of the blessings and guidance given us all the health and the opportunity to attend in here in the series of events of Discussion Meeting of Development Planning of Riau Province as mandated in the laws 25 Year 2004 on the System of National Development Planning.

Furthermore, in this opportunity I would like to welcome to the Bumi Melayu Lancang Kuning/Blessing City “Pekanbaru”, Riau Province, to Mr. Head Inspector Bappenas, Mr. Director General of Regional Development Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mr. Head of Finance Auditor and Development (BPKP) RI, Mrs. Deputy Natural Resources Conservation Improvement and Environmental Damage Control, the Ministry of Environment, and Mr. Director of Balanced Fund of Finance Department RI, and the Head of Planning Bureau in the Ministry of all department witch in this opportunity could present to share information in order to provide various strategies and National Development policies, especially for Budgeting Year 2009 and implementation of policies in various programs and activities that synergized with the Strategy and Policy of Regional Development, particularly in Riau Province.

The honorary audiences,

As we known that this event is a stage of setting process of the development planning, where begin from the Village Development Planning, district / city, province and then finally will bring to a National Development Planning.

In fact, in that planning stages, various programs and activities that will be discussed will result in diversity of the responsibilities of various stakeholders of the development, as amended in Government Regulation No. 38 Year 2007 about the differentiation scope of administration of Government Local Government and Provincial Government District / City, with the allocation of development resources through the State Budget, Province budgeting and District / City budgeting, in addition to other development such as financing through the World Investment and Business participation / community self-reliance, and other sources of funds which are not binding, which is to be a domain development in the Government, Business and Society.

When we watch the objective conditions of Riau Province, which is a reflection of the implementation of the strategy and policy development that have been implemented through a period of time and a long period, then in one side Riau province still faced with various challenges and problems of development, but on the other side, step by step, it can also measure the outcomes of the better results which targeted to the future opportunities in which it is continuously growing up and developing and also give hope and optimism to achieve the ideal of development as been expected.

From the main aspects of the development problems, Riau Province are still faced with three main issues: number of poor people is still relatively high 11.25% and similarly the case with relatively low quality human resources that can be measured from the population aged 10 years and above those not graduated primary school is 54.23%, health services are still not optimal, the unemployment is still relatively high with 10.39% of population, beside the provision of transportation infrastructure that is still not optimal entirely the region of Riau Province.

Likewise with clean water service with the new piping installation can distribute only 30% of the needs of the community, while in service of the Electricity the electrification ratio is still 40%, beside the various other development problems such as natural environmental conservation, forest fires and Land, administration and people security and others.

My honorable audiences,

In accordance to the problems being faced by the Riau Province at this time, the various strategies and policy development has been poured into the document of development planning, both long-term, medium term and short-term which further will be implemented into the program and the annual activity.

Basically, the strategy and policy development of the Government of Riau Province currently was carried out through three main approaches are (1) Pro-Business-oriented to investment development, (2) Pro-Poor and (3) Pro Job, which was conducted through the "Community Empowerment". Approaching through investment more emphasized on the efforts increasing economic growth that can create employment opportunities, and eventually can improve the income of the community.

Potential resources and strategic location of the region and conditions of the conducive investment climate are becoming the basis capital to build investment in the region. From the data source by Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) describes that Riau has high enough potential investment and listed in big five (5) of the National Potential Investment. This is measured from the PMA (overseas investment) based on fixed investment business permit until the beginning third month in 2007 was totaling USD 724 million and local investment totaling IDR3,095 billion. Efforts to strengthen investment in the region through the regulation approaching, such as services one roof (one stop service), development of basic infrastructure that supports the accessibility of investment and strengthening of investment promotion, so it can be expected to encourage the growth and development of investment consistently and sustainable.

Besides the development of investment, other approaching of development is through community empowerment approach, because in reality the welfare and the education of community is the main goal to be reached. One of the Advanced Program of the Government of Riau Province is through K2i program which means to overcome Poorness, Lack of Education and Provision of Infrastructure, which relies on the development of Villages as the main focus of Regional Development. (source)