Airports, ports planned for int'l flights, trade

Airports, ports planned for int'l flights, trade

JAKARTA (JP): Airports and seaports in North Sulawesi, West
Kalimantan and East Kalimantan will be developed to facilitate
international flights and trade to support the establishment of
sub-regional cooperation involving Indonesia, the Philippines,
Brunei and Malaysia.

Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto told
reporters after a meeting with a number of ministers and
governors on Saturday that airports and seaports in Manado, North
Sulawesi; Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, and Pontianak, West
Kalimantan will be expanded in the near future so that they can
accommodate large airplanes and ships.

The meeting was attended by the governors of the three
provinces, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto,
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, State
Minister of Investment/Chairman of the Investment Coordinating
Board Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo and Minister of Forestry Djamaloedin
Soeryohadikoesoemo.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said recently that its study
on the planned cooperation, called the East ASEAN Growth Area
(EAGA), is feasible for the acceleration of economic development
in the areas involved -- the three Indonesian provinces, the
Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, five provinces of the
Philippines and Brunei.

Minister Haryanto explained that after their expansion, the
airports in Manado, Pontianak and Balikpapan are expected to
serve international flights bound to various countries, including
Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Japan, Hong
Kong, Canada, the United States and European countries.

He added that regional flights from the three airports will be
served by Merpati Nusantara, Sempati Air, Mandala and Bouraq
airlines, while the international flights will be served by the
national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

The minister said the expansion of the Sepinggan airport in
Balikpapan will be funded with a US$150-million aid from the
Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan and the Sam Ratulangi
airport in Manado with a $125-million aid from the Asian
Development Bank.

"The expansion of the Supadio airport in Pontianak will use
the state budget," he added.

Minister Hartarto said the expansion of the seaports in
Pontianak, Balikpapan and Manado will start this year.

Tourism

Joop said he is optimistic that with the operation of the
regional and international flights, the three provinces will
become very important destinations for international tourists,
considering that they are homes to attractive submarine parks.

"The Bunaken submarine park offshore Sulawesi has been popular
all over the world for some time," he added.

West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan also have potential sites
for adventure and eco-tourism, Joop said.

West Kalimantan Governor Arwin said his province has a
mountainous area on Gunung Palung with the most original forests
in the world.

"We also have two-layer waterfalls and rivers suitable for
raft rides," he pointed out.

Governor of East Kalimantan Ardans said his province has
thousands of species of birds.

Hartarto said the team assigned by the ADB is expected to make
recommendations soon on potential businesses which can be
developed in the EAGA area.

When asked about Australia's interest in joining the EAGA,
Hartarto said that its proposal is still under consideration by
the four concerned governments. (fhp)