President Prabowo Orders Construction of Trans-Sumatra and Kalimantan Railway Networks

President Prabowo has instructed the Minister of Transportation and the President Director of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) to push forward with large-scale railway projects in Sumatra. Specifically, the construction of the "Trans-Sumatra Railway," connecting Bakauheni in South Sumatra (Bandar Lampung) to Aceh in the north, was ordered. The President issued this directive during the inauguration of the revitalized Tawang Station in Semarang, Central Java, on July 30, 2026. Addressing the Minister of Transportation and the President Director of KAI, the President stated, "Give heavy tasks, not light ones," confirming their readiness to undertake the project. Both officials responded affirmatively, stating their capability. Furthermore, President Prabowo requested the commencement of the "Trans-Kalimantan Railway" construction project in Kalimantan, to be undertaken concurrently with the Trans-Sumatra Railway. The President emphasized that these projects are part of an effort to prove Indonesia as a "great and prosperous nation." "Indonesia is a great nation, Indonesia is a prosperous nation. We will prove that Indonesia faces the future with optimism, with joy, and with spirit, without forgetting history. History is important for us, for our identity and our future," the President declared, expressing hope for the nation's development and the people's future.