Eastern regions to have railways
Antara, Pontianak
The government is set to improve land transport in eastern Indonesia, as part of efforts to accelerate development there.
A one-day Kalimantan-Sulawesi Regional Coordination Forum held in Pontianak, West Kalimantan on Saturday produced a 13-point plan on how to encourage economic development. Two points focused on developing the regions' transport infrastructure.
The Ministry of Transportation has pledged to hold seminars on railway networks for Kalimantan and Sulawesi for two months starting in June.
"A railway study of the area is necessary in order to get a better picture of how railway development in eastern Indonesia could fit into national railway affairs," head of the research and development division at the Ministry of Transportation, Cucuk Suryo Suprojo, was quoted by Antara as saying at the forum.
Director general of spatial plan affairs at the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure, Syarifuddin Akil, said land transport projects in Kalimantan needed a total of Rp 8.4 trillion (US$840 million).
The forum also agreed to put forward an Integrated Economic Development Zone (Kapet) plan to kickstart development.
The gathering was attended by nine provincial administrations in the regions and was aimed at coordinating local plans, because the eastern regions do not receive as much attention as Java and Sumatra.
State Minister for the Acceleration of Development in Eastern Indonesia Manuel Kaisiepo said at the forum that the severe lack of institutional, infrastructural support had contributed to underdevelopment in the regions.
He explained his office had completed a general strategy for the regions' development based on the characteristic of each region.
But, he added, the public have to be informed of the strategy.
The government has also earmarked Rp 153 billion from the state budget plus Rp 40 billion in compensation for the fuel price hike to establish offices for maritime affairs in eastern provinces.
"The budget is 115 percent greater than last year," said a director general at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sumpeno Putro.