REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SALATIGA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said he was optimistic the target to build 1,800 kilometers of toll road until 2019 would be achieved.

Jokowi said he was convinced by Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimulyono that the target could be reached.

Three years earlier, Indonesia had only 780 kilometers of toll road, far lagging behind neighboring countries, he said.

In 2019 we will have an addition of 1,800 kilometers, the president said after commissioning a new 17 kilometer toll road between Bawen and Salatiga on Monday.

"In more than 10 year we have only 780 kilometers of toll road. China builds up 4,000 to 5,000 kilometers a year," he said .

In 1977 when first the country had its first 77 kilometer Jagorawi toll road, many other countries wanted to study the management and construction of the toll road, he said.

"But soon they already had thousands of kilometers, leaving us lagging behind with only 780 kilometers three year ago," he said.

Jokowi said the main drag in the development of toll roads in the country is land clearing as the land owners raised the price of their land when they know the government wanted the land.

"Now we see the key . We already found the key. We are not inferior in construction if the land has been cleared," he added.

The president said the toll roads are expected to significantly cut the logistic cost.

He said the transport cost for goods is more than two times higher in Indonesia than in Singapore and Malaysia.

The president, therefore, hopes that construction of Trans Java toll road could be completed in 2018 after years in the process of construction.

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