Council wants Medan airport relocated immediately
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
The planned relocation of the Polonia international airport located in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan seems urgent but the government is acting slowly in carrying out the plan.
The provincial legislative council questioned the government's seriousness in relocating the airport. The relocation was planned seven years ago and the council says the delay proves that the government is not serious about improving the airline industry in the province.
"The government could use the annual profit of the company managing the airport, state-owned company PT Angkasa Pura II, to develop a new and efficient airport located at the city's outskirts," Chairman of the Commission IV on transportation at the provincial legislature, Amran Y.S, said in a hearing with chief of the local transportation office, Farhan Tanjung, here on Thursday.
He cited that Angkasa Pura II has gained an average of Rp 120 billion (US$14.8 million) in annual profit from running the airport.
The relocation of the airport, which is currently situated only hundreds of meters away from the city center, is considered urgent since the airport can no longer accommodate the crowds of passengers that frequent the airport on weekends and during the holiday seasons of June and December.
The airport, which was constructed by the Dutch in 1936, is surrounded by multi-story buildings. Residents complain of noise from the departure and landing of planes and traffic jams in the city.
A great number of foreign and local airlines use the airport. Among them: Singapore Airline (SIA), Malaysian Airline (MAS), Garuda, Merpati Nusantara Airline (MNA), Jatayu, Batavia, Lion, Pelita and Star Air.
Councillors also questioned the political commitment of the Deli Serdang regency's administration in its failure to exercise its authority and relocate the airport.
"The provincial and regency administrations are waiting for the green light from the central government. But due to regional autonomy, the regency administration doesn't need approval from the central government," said a member of the provincial legislature's commission.
He added that, besides solving the problems caused by the airport's current position, the relocation would be beneficial to people living close to the proposed new location and create job opportunities.
The regency administration has prepared more than 5,000 hectares of land in Kuala Namu, 30 kilometers south of the city, for the project but financial incapacity has meant a seven year delay in its realization.
Farhan admitted that the delay in the relocation of the airport is related to financial problems. He said that the provincial administration has set up a small team to seek foreign investors.
"If the government provides funds we will carry out the project but the government has not provided sufficient money," he said. He did know if the government's annual revenue, from running the airport, could cover the cost of relocation.
However, he said that besides domestic companies, two foreign investors from France and Germany have expressed interest in taking part in the project, "but the final decision is in the hands of the central government. Our role is only to provide land for the project."
Chief of Angkasa Pura II's branch in Medan, A. Subagyo, said the planned relocation of the airport was indeed urgent, the current airport could not accommodate the crowd of passengers expected during the holiday season this month.
"The air service connecting the city with other cities in the country, Singapore and Malaysia, is inefficient because too many foreign and domestic airlines operate from the airport," he said.