PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi together with West Java Deputy Governor Erwan Setiawan and the leadership and members of the West Java Provincial DPRD attended a Plenary Session listening to the State Address of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto in a series of events commemorating the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia in 2026 at the West Java DPRD Building, Friday (14/8/2026).

One of the achievements conveyed by the President was Indonesia's success in achieving self-sufficiency in eight food commodities within one year, faster than the initial target of four to five years.

The eight commodities include rice, corn, consumer sugar, chicken meat, chicken eggs, shallots, large chilies, and cayenne peppers.

In the energy sector, the President stated that Indonesia has begun achieving diesel self-sufficiency through the production of diesel with a B50 biodiesel blend. Starting July 1, 2026, Indonesia will no longer import diesel fuel from abroad, saving Rp170 trillion (approximately USD9.5 billion) in foreign exchange.

"This is not a reason for complacency. It's an incentive for us to work even harder. Because independence is not just what we proclaim. Independence is what the people feel," the President emphasized in his speech.

The President also emphasized that all these achievements are part of the government's efforts to carry out the people's mandate and realize the ideals of independence.

KDM - the governor's nickname - said that various efforts had also been made during his leadership to improve the welfare of the people of West Java.

"The people of West Java must feel a sense of independence on the 81st anniversary of Indonesian Independence in 2026. While we may not necessarily acknowledge the contributions made, we can see for ourselves and feel that basic services at the provincial, district, and city levels are increasingly visible today," he stressed.

Basic services in education, healthcare, and infrastructure are starting to show improvements. The Governor cited the example of electricity now available to rural communities, with remote villages no longer experiencing darkness. Of the 500,000 homes without electricity, approximately 80,000 remain, with the target for completion next year.

"Freedom is when you don't encounter potholes on the highway. Today, almost 97 percent of provincial roads are pothole-free. We just need to move towards civilized roads. Civilized roads have well-maintained drainage, streetlights, and a reliable telecommunications network," he added.

Independence for West Java residents, KDM added, is when children can enjoy easy and affordable schooling. In West Java, children must attend school at least until they graduate from high school or vocational school.

Freedom also means being free from the fear of walking at night or during the day due to the threat of street crime. Currently, according to the governor, the crime rate has decreased relatively, and all police and military personnel are on standby at all times. Furthermore, there are no longer any ID cards being confiscated due to inability to pay hospital bills.

"All of these components must be continuously maintained and their quality improved because an independent and sovereign country means its people have freedom and sovereignty," KDM emphasized.

WEST JAVA PUBLIC RELATIONS
Head of the Communication and Information Service of West Java Province
Adi Komar