TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government has targeted the development of six national economic corridors which are expected to be the new economic development center. The six corridors are Java’s northern Coast corridor I), East Trans-Sumatra (II), South Trans-Kalimantan (III), Trans-Sulawesi (IV), Bali-Nusa Tenggara Track (V) and Papua (VI).
Taufik Widjoyono, the Public Works Ministry’s planning and foreign cooperation bureau head, said the development of the economic corridors was projected to be completed by 2014. It is aimed to facilitate the flow of commodity distribution which is the priority sector in the areas.
“We are calculating the budget. It will be separated from the ministry’s budget,” Taufik said in Jakarta yesterday. He estimated the cost of the total project to be Rp20 trillion. The decision will be made in a cabinet meeting later.
In constructing and funding the economic corridors, the government will cooperate with trans-sectoral and regional governments. According to Taufik, the allocation and the state budget will not be too big. The government expects the role of regional governments, state/region-owned enterprises and private companies, both local and foreign.
Taufik said a few foreign investors had expressed interest in participating in the project. South Korea, for instance, has promised a US$12 billion investment. “South Korea seems to be pretty aggressive lately,” he added.
Although it will only begin in 2012, the early stage of the development will start this year. The allocation will come from the existing budget, for instance from tender projects. If there is a development program which is not urgent, the allocation could go to the economic corridor project.
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