Ferry project approved

Ferry project approved

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The Ministry of Transportation has approved the construction of a ferry terminal in Muna regency, Southeast Sulawesi, to support a ferry service to Sinjai, South Sulawesi, despite the Southeast Sulawesi administration's objection.

"I have met with Minister (of Transportation) Agum Gumelar in Jakarta, and he agreed to the project. The House of Representatives and the Ministry of Finance have also given their approval to the project," Muna Regent Ridwan said on Wednesday.

The Southeast Sulawesi provincial administration is opposed to the project plan because none of its officials have been involved in the inter-provincial project's planning.

Ridwan said that the minister's approval was guaranteed and "the funds have been allocated from this year's budget".

He also said that the minister had appointed a project manager for the multi-billion ferry terminal project.

Ridwan said that the ferry service from Muna to Sinjai would be economically strategic as the moving of goods and people were crucial to the areas' economic development. --Antara