Government to open Selayar islands for all
Government to open Selayar islands for all
SELAYAR ISLANDS, South Sulawesi (JP): The government has vowed
to end the isolation of the islands of Selayar, some 700
kilometers from the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, and to
develop its economy.
The government's commitment was marked by a pioneer flight by
an Indonesian Air Force CASA 212 from Makassar to the islands on
Friday. It was the first aircraft to land on the islands since
the country gained its independence in 1945.
The aircraft brought 15 people, including pilot Capt.
Ardjianto, two Air Force officers, three officials of the
Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and five
journalists.
The aircraft was the object of intense interest, with locals
flocking to Aruppala Airport in Tanabau Padang village to witness
the landing. The airport was constructed in 1984.
Selayar Regent Akib Patta said the flight was aimed at
encouraging the development of the island, which has been
isolated and virtually off the government's radar for decades.
The Selayar regency includes one large island, Selayar, and a
number of other small islands which have no official names. The
island of Selayar has three districts, Bontomatene, Bontosikuyu
and Bontoharu, while the districts of Pasimasunggu and
Pasimarannu are located on two of hundreds of islets.
"The physical development of the districts on the big island
has been very, very slow," Akib said.
"The government will open regular flights from Makassar to the
islands, which takes only 38 minutes. In this way the tourist
flow to the islands will increase," he said. He added the islands
boasted a world-class tourist destination, National Marine Park
Taka Bonerate, which is believed to be the third largest atoll in
the world.
"With the opening of the flight, we hope the tourism industry
in the Bali-Lombok-Selayar triangle will develop," Akib said, not
going into the details of the plan to boost Selayar's
development.
According to Ardjianto, the airport on Selayar was sufficient,
and required just a little upgrading. "Now the runway is only 900
meters in length. It needs to be extended so that larger planes
can land on it." (27/sur)