Friday, 04 September 2026

Medan Eyes Future as Tech-Driven Metropolitan City Under Mayor Rico Waas

AHMAD ZULFIKAR SAGALA - Thursday, 14 May 2026 23:59

PHOTO: Doc. Medan City Communication and Informatics Office

RECEIVING AN AUDIENCE FROM APEKSI AND THE PIJAR FOUNDATION: Mayor Rico Waas welcomes representatives of APEKSI and the Pijar Foundation at Medan City Hall for discussions on developing Medan into a technology-oriented metropolitan city.

MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – Mayor of Medan, Rico Tri Putra Bayu Waas, has reaffirmed his vision to transform Medan into a modern, technology-driven metropolitan city. Known as the "Miniature of Indonesia" for its cultural diversity and strategic western location, Medan is seen as having strong potential for advanced urban development.

Rico made the statement during a meeting with the Executive Director and Secretary of the Indonesian Association of City Governments (APEKSI), APEKSI representative Alwis Rustam, and a delegation from the Pijar Foundation at Medan City Hall on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

Medan Positioned as Strategic Gateway for National Programs

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Rico Waas emphasized that Medan continues to evolve and holds significant potential for sustainable urban transformation. According to him, the integration of technological innovation is a key driver for the city's future development.

As a gateway to western Indonesia, Medan plays a crucial role in supporting various national programs.

"For example, the SPPG program will be expanded to 255 facilities, targeting around 700,000 children," said Rico Waas.

In addition to the SPPG initiative, the city government is also advancing several strategic projects, including waste-to-energy processing (PSEL) and the development of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to improve urban mobility.

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Technology as a Solution to Urban Challenges

Rico Waas also highlighted that Medan continues to face flooding challenges, both from upstream river overflow and coastal tidal flooding (rob). He stressed that these conditions require stronger community preparedness and adaptive urban planning.

"Under these conditions, we encourage community self-preparedness in dealing with emergency situations," he stated.

Pijar Foundation Brings Innovation-Driven Urban Solutions

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Director of Innovation at the Pijar Foundation, Cynthia Krisanti, stated that the organization is preparing a range of technology-based solutions to support Medan's urban development agenda.

"We have innovative technologies in health, climate, disaster response, elderly care, and food security," she explained.

The integration of these technologies into strategic city programs is expected to transform Medan into a resilient, intelligent, and prosperous urban center for all residents. (IDNC)

REPORTER: Teguh Panjaitan EDITOR: Fik Sagala