SLEMAN - Coordinating Minister for the Ministry of Marine Affairs, Retired General Luhut Binsar Panjaitan expressed the importance of infrastructure to build Indonesia in order to provide insight and motivation to students.

 He conveyed the message during a public lecture with the theme of the Development of the Industrial and Maritime Services Indonesia to Realize the Vision of the World Maritime Axis in Auditorium UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta (UPNVY), Condong Catur Campus, Friday (9/2/2018) morning.

In front of the students and lecturers of UPNVY, Luhut conveyed the various economic developments from various sectors. According to him, the current infrastructure continues to be encouraged that Indonesia is ranked in the third position of ASEAN on the infrastructure spending that will be completed by 2019.

 "Do the students know that the increase of Indonesia's tourism in ASEAN is now the largest almost 26 percent, why can we improve the infrastructure that creates jobs?" asked Luhut.

 Luhut asked UPNVY which is famous for the Faculty of Mineral Technology to strengthen the field of information technology. According to him, there will be changes in the future, such as the development of industrial areas outside Java. The government always holds universities in development, such as the construction of Light Rail Transit (LRT) involving 600 vendors, such as PT. INKA, some universities are UPN, UGM, ITS, ITB.

 "UPN participate as a vendor, but I do not know precisely the work it does, still it obviously joins it," he said.

 He reminded  the importance of technology that should be followed by all parties because it is a demand. He said the mastery of technology is very important at this time. Technological development trends such as artificial intelligence becomes the students’ challenge.

 "We can learn from China as well. Why  may not it? There is no longer made in China but create in China, because it is different. We must create in Indonesia, meaning that the goods are made in Indonesia, "he said.

 In addition, the global political situation, which is growing rapidly, according to Coordinating Minister Luhut is also a challenge for the young generation.

 The current geopolitics is that the United States is reducing oil imports from the Saudis. Now Saudi opened its trade toChina and Russia because of its deficit economy. "Saudi Arabia's politics are now more aggressive, they are also more open, such as allowing women to drive cars, who are considered corruption are arrested, and others," said Coordinating Minister Luhut. 

Rector UPNVY Prof. Sari Bahagiarti K explained that the public lecture was held as a continuation of previous cooperation, between Pushankam UPNVY with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs that has produced four books on maritime : Kembali ke Laut, Industri dan Jasa Maritim dalam Visi Poros Maritim Dunia (( Back to the Sea, Industry and Maritime Services in the Vision of the World Maritime Shaft), Melancong Ke Laut : Tata
Kelola Pariwisata Maritim Indonesia (Traveling to the Sea: The Management of Maritime Tourism Indonesia), Membangun dari Laut, Industri dan Jasa Maritim Indonesia  (Build from Sea, Industry and Maritime Services of Indonesia), and Mengamankan Laut : Tata Ruang dan Keamanan Maritim (Secure the Sea: Spatial and Maritime Security.

 "Hopefully maritime can always be in the minds of the community, especially students so that it can ground the maritime axis, opening the horizon in seeing Indonesia as one of the most important maritime power in the world," Sari said when giving a speech at the same event. (wwj / humas)