Bukittinggi, West Sumatra – wapresri.go.id. Vice President Jusuf Kalla said, the Minang community, local residents of West Sumatra province, have a major capital for development in the form of human resources.
“Many countries that have only few natural resources but excel in their human resources become very well-developed. This was evident for instance in Japan and Korea,” said the Vice President in a Gala Dinner with community leaders and regents/mayors throughout West Sumatra province at Bung Hatta Palace in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, on Monday (Sept. 5).
Vice President, who in the Minang tradition is called Sumando (someone outside Minang community marrying with a Minang woman), added that Minang people will be able to change their fate and improve their lives with their hard work and creativity.
Earlier in the same event, West Sumatra governor Irwan Prayitno stated that the province has flagship programs in tourism and SMEs.
“West Sumatra is not an area that has oil and gas, so its locally generated recurring revenues (PAD) rely on vehicle tax and tax payment from hotels and restaurants,” he said.
The dinner was also attended by the Chairman of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Irman Gusman, and former Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris.