Sampang, East Java. President Prabowo Subianto inaugurates 1,151 kilometers of regional roads across Indonesia, underscoring the government’s push to strengthen rural connectivity and lower logistics costs in the world’s largest archipelago.

The infrastructure project spans 37 provinces, covering Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara, as well as Maluku, North Maluku, and Papua. The total value of the works is estimated at Rp 5.41 trillion ($302.35 million).

Speaking at the inauguration of the Kedungdung–Bringkoning road section in Sampang, East Java, on Tuesday, Prabowo said regional roads are a key driver of grassroots economic activity.

“I am proud and happy that the construction of 1,151 km of regional roads across 37 provinces has been completed,” he said. “Regional roads are the lifeline of the people’s economy.”

The Kedungdung–Bringkoning segment is one of the completed projects under the program. The road was widened over a 1.5-kilometer stretch to a width of 7 meters, with an investment of around Rp 14 billion.

Prabowo said improved road infrastructure plays a central role in enabling the movement of goods from rural producers to markets and industrial centers. Better connectivity, he added, helps farmers, plantation workers, and fishermen distribute their products more efficiently while also improving access to essential goods in remote areas.

“Transportation costs will be lower if roads are adequate and if there is connectivity between production centers and residential areas,” he said.

Indonesia’s geography, which spans thousands of islands, makes transport infrastructure critical to reducing logistics costs and improving economic efficiency, the president said.

Prabowo added that the government is committed to ensuring more balanced infrastructure development across regions to prevent economic disparities caused by poor access.

“We are determined that no region should be left behind simply because of limited access,” he said. “We must reduce logistics costs for all people and the national economy.”

The administration has prioritized infrastructure development as part of its broader strategy to support inclusive growth, with a focus on improving connectivity between rural production hubs and urban distribution networks.

Economists have long identified logistics costs as one of the key structural challenges in Indonesia’s economy, given the country’s vast geography and uneven infrastructure distribution.

By expanding and upgrading regional roads, the government aims to improve market access, strengthen supply chains, and support more efficient movement of goods and people across the archipelago.

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