VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa has urged the National Association of Engineers (PII) to contribute to designing cities that reflect national identity, as done in the national capital Nusantara’s development.

"So, I want to compel or challenge PII to contribute thoughts and ideas because earlier, Mr. Danis Hidayat (general chairperson of PII) said that our cities in the future can also follow the example of the national capital city," he said, according to a statement received here on Saturday.

The national development achievements in various cities, which were mostly made by the private sector, were not based on a master plan that took national identity as its basis, Minister Monoarfa noted.

Therefore, his administration will prepare 40 cities as pilot projects whose development will be supported by a master plan. They will include areas like Siak district in Riau, which have a substantial regional budget but no landmark cities at all.

By using all digital instruments, it would be possible to record the appearance of the earth's surface and track traces of urban development, he said.

Efforts to record traces of urban development can start from Nusantara city, whose area has been divided between green areas and buildings. There is also a plant nursery with local plants in the city.

"Today, I am here to challenge the PII to collaborate with the National Development Planning Agency to build 40 cities. Indonesian engineers are makers, Indonesian engineers are not traders," he said in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

On the occasion, Hidayat said that engineers' contribution is very crucial for the nation.

"Our country is truly in need of engineers' support, starting from civil engineering, mechanical, electrical, environmental, shipping, marine, chemical engineering, new renewable energy engineering, and other disciplines. Moreover, each of us can take part in various professions, whether as developers, industry players, government, academics, or researchers," he elaborated.

It has been predicted that global challenges in the digital technology, information, energy, and infrastructure sectors will require Indonesian engineers to improve their professionalism.

"We at PII have also transformed into an engineering authority through Law Number 11 of 2014, and PII has been part of the International Engineering Alliance since 2003. This means that PII will consistently extend great support to engineers in Indonesia to gain global recognition," he said. (Antaranews)