Indonesia proposes grand plan to rebuild the country

Huge divide: A colourfully painted barrier (centre) separating a waterway and a slum area, dwarfed by highrisers in Jakarta. — AFP

JAKARTA: Indonesia is drafting ambitious plans for more than US$400bil (RM1.6 trillion) in building projects, from constructing 25 airports to developing new power plants, as the government seeks to stoke growth in South-East Asia’s largest economy, according to the country’s planning minister.

The sweeping proposal calls for a record 5,957 trillion rupiah (RM1.7 trillion) in investments from 2020 to 2024, Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said in an interview this week. As much as 40% of the total will be funded directly by the government, 25% through state-owned enterprises and the rest through the private sector, he said.