E. Java legislators press govt on bridge project<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A caucus of legislators from East Java called on Tuesday on
\nthe government to honor its promise to build a 5.43 km-long
\nbridge connecting Surabaya and Madura island.<\/p>\n
Caucus spokesman Heri Akhmadi said he would meet State
\nMinister for Research and Technology Hatta Radjasa to press this
\ndemand.<\/p>\n
\"It's an urgent project. We have discussed its economic
\nadvantage in public debates,\" Heri told reporters.<\/p>\n
The caucus insisted that the bridge, to be called \"Suramadu\",
\nwould be vital to improve economic activities between Surabaya
\nand Madura.<\/p>\n
The bridge was envisioned in 1990 when then president Soeharto
\nassigned the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology
\nto form a consortium to take care of it. A decade later, nothing
\nhas materialized.<\/p>\n
It was estimated that the construction of the \"Suramadu\"
\nbridge would cost Rp 2.16 trillion (US$212 million).<\/p>\n
The caucus hopes that the authority of BPPT be dropped and the
\nconstruction be jointly funded by a consortium of central
\ngovernment, the regional administration, and the private sector.<\/p>\n
The project has been suspended for a decade due to financial
\nas well as social problems. Many Madurese have openly objected to
\nthe plan for fear that the bridge would over-accelerate
\ndevelopment in Madura, which would bring with it social problems,
\nsuch as prostitution.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/e-java-legislators-press-govt-on-bridge-project-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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