City government mulls delaying monorail project<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso revealed on Monday that the monorail project,
\nwhich is scheduled to start next month, would likely be delayed.<\/p>\n
"We are aware that there is a problem with the Malaysian
\ninvestor," he said at City Hall.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso only hinted that it might relate to the withdrawal of
\nthe Malaysian government's backup for Malaysian firm M Trans
\nHolding.<\/p>\n
"They (the company) had support from the government during
\nformer Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's tenure. Now Malaysia has
\na new leader," he said, referring to newly installed Prime
\nMinister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said that Jakarta would open its offer to other
\ninvestors from Singapore or Britain if "the Malaysian investor
\nfails to meet the time schedule we have established for the
\nproject".<\/p>\n
It was the second warning by the governor to the Malaysian
\nfirm. Previously, Sutiyoso said that he would find another
\ninvestor if the firm refused to develop lines in less lucrative
\nareas.<\/p>\n
The monorail is another public transportation alternative
\nproposed by Sutiyoso, who launched the controversial busway last
\nThursday. As of today, hundreds of Jakartans were still
\nenthusiastic to try out the busway.<\/p>\n
PT Indonesian Transit Central (ITC) -- a consortium comprising
\nPT Adhi Karya, Global Profex Synergy and Radiant Utama -- and M
\nTrans Holding planned to invest US$540 million in the
\nconstruction of a 27-kilometer, dual-line elevated monorail
\nsystem. The monorail is to connect Bekasi to the east and
\nTangerang to the west of the capital.<\/p>\n
The signing of the agreement last August in Kuching, Malaysia,
\nwas witnessed by Mahathir and President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nwho was on a state visit to the neighboring country.<\/p>\n
PT ITC director Sukmawati Sjukur told The Jakarta Post by
\nphone that M Trans Holding was interested in building only the
\n"green line", a 14.8-kilometer ring serving the capital's golden
\ntriangle of Jl. Sudirman, Senayan and Kuningan with 16 stations.<\/p>\n
"We are still negotiating with the Malaysian investor ... If
\nit ends in deadlock, we shall look for other sources of finance,"
\nshe said, adding that ITC has also received offers from Japanese
\ncompany Hitachi and Canadian company Bombardier.<\/p>\n
According to Sukmawati, ITC was still negotiating with its
\nMalaysian partner to develop the "blue line", which is less
\nlucrative. The 12.2-kilometer line, connecting Kampung Melayu in
\nEast Jakarta and Roxy in West Jakarta, would serve 13 stations.<\/p>\n
The monorail cars would copy those in Malaysia, which use
\nU.S.-based technology, and would be able to travel at up to 80
\nkilometers per hour. It will take at least two-and-a-half years
\nto complete the monorail construction.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-government-mulls-delaying-monorail-project-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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