XINHUA/Indonesian gov't invites private sector to build 14 new airports
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Indonesia's Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi said on Wednesday that the government encourages private sector to take part in the construction of 14 new it planned to build starting next year. "Principally if the private sector wants to join, just go ahead, " Freddy said.
It was the minister's response following President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's statement conveyed in the latter's accountability speech conveyed to parliament members on Monday that the government planned to build 14 new airports and renovate 118 others across the country.
The government has allocated 198 billion rupiah (some 22.10 million U.S. dollars) set aside from the 2011 state budget to finance those projects.
Freddy explained that the new airports will mostly be built in the eastern parts of Indonesia, such as West Nusa Tenggara and Bali provinces.
"In West Nusa Tenggara it is still in process. In Bali we will build another one since the existing Ngurah Rai airport has already been over capacity," he said.
Meanwhile in the same occasion, the ministry's spokesperson Bambang S. Ervan added that the 14 new airstrips were planned to be built in Seram (Kuffar), Bone, Enggano, Muara Bungo, Muara Teweh, Morowali, Saumlaki Baru, Sinak Baru, Tojo Una-Una, Tual Baru, Wagete Baru, Waisai Raja Ampat, Nam Niwel and Sumarorong.
"They are all located in Papua, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Maluku, Bengkulu and Jambi. The airstrips will be designated to accommodate small planes," he said.