Indosat, Telkom to help develop tallest tower
Indosat, Telkom to help develop tallest tower
JAKARTA (JP): State-owned telecommunications operators PT
Telkom and PT Indosat will participate in the development of
Menara Jakarta, which is set to become the tallest tower in
Indonesia. The multi-million-dollar tower will be erected in
Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave told
Commission V on transportation, tourism and telecommunications
of the House of Representatives in a hearing here yesterday that
the planned 500-meter tower will become a tourist attraction.
He told reporters after the hearing that the tower will be
developed as a multimedia center. "That's why we are involving
Telkom and Indosat in the development of the building."
Indosat, which runs international telecommunications services,
has announced its plan to enter the multimedia business. The
company has just acquired a stake in PT Yasawirya Tama Cipta, a
Jakarta-based firm which produces video recordings for television
broadcasters.
In its financial report, Indosat said it is currently
exploring the possibility of providing multimedia services and
has budgeted $13.5 million for the development of a pilot network
for 1996.
Telkom has also signed a preliminary agreement with PT
Telekomindo Primabhakti and PT Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia
(RCTI) to develop multimedia services.
Telekomindo is a private cellular telecommunications operator.
Telekomindo, partly owned by Telkom, is controlled by the
Rajawali Group, which has ties with both businessman Peter
Sondakh and the Bimantara Group, which owns RCTI.
Joop, Indosat's president Tjahjono Soerjodibroto, and Telkom's
top executives, all refused to say how much money the two
companies will invest in the US$400-million project.
The tower project is being managed by PT Indocitra Graha
Bawana, a consortium involving businessmen Sudwikatmono, Prayogo
Pangestu and Henry Pribadi.
The building, part of the Kemayoran development plan, is set
to be about four times taller than the 132-meter national
monument, Monas. The highest part of the building will be used as
a telecommunications center and house broadcasting and television
facilities, in addition to restaurants, hotels and offices.
When announced last year, the project sparked controversy but
the government eventually gave the go-ahead.
The planned 500-meter tower is expected to be the third
highest in the world after the CN Tower (555 meters) in Toronto,
Canada, and the Oskantino (530 meters) in Moscow.
Architects grouped in the East China Architecture Design
Institute reportedly won the competition among a limited number
of world tower designers. Completion is scheduled for the latter
part of the ongoing Sixth Five-Year Development Plan (Repelita
V), which will end in March 1999.
Joop reiterated yesterday that the tower was not setting out
to rival Monas. (icn)