Govt to repair Sumatra highway

JAMBI CITY, Jambi: The central government will immediately disburse Rp 54 billion (US$6.3 million) to repair a 105-kilometer section of the Sumatra east coast highway -- between Muara Tembesi and Sarolangun.

Rijal Jalil, a member of the House of Representatives, said here on Saturday that the funds for the repair project came from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the 2003 state budget.

"The highway has been damaged by overloaded trucks, because of the lack of supervision by local authorities," he said.

He added the highway was vital in the province's economic development. --JP