Jakarta toll road project up for tender in July
Jakarta toll road project up for tender in July
JAKARTA (JP): The government will begin in July the tendering
process for the resumption of the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR)
project which had been suspended since 1998, an official said on
Monday.
A spokesman for state toll road operator, PT Jasa Marga,
Hengki Herwanto said the preferred bidder status of the Malaysian
consortium under DRB-HiCom would be maintained despite the launch
of the toll road project's tender.
As preferred bidder, the Malaysian consortium had the "rights
to match" the winner of the tender, Detikcom online news
reported.
He said that there will be a general explanation of the
tendering process to investors on May 28, and invitations for
prequalifications will be issued later in July.
The Jakarta Outer Ring Road project comprises a 69.3 kilometer
road designed to link all outlying areas of Jakarta in order to
ease traffic congestion in the capital.
It was originally constructed by PT Citra Bhakti Margatama
Persada, PT Citra Mataram Satriamarga Persada, and PT Marga
Nurindo Bhakti, under a build-operate-transfer scheme with Jasa
Marga.
The three companies were linked with former president
Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, also known as Tutut.
Investors financed the project with loans worth Rp 1 trillion
(about $91 million) from local banks, which turned sour after the
government suspended the project as part of its retrenchment plan
to cope with the economic crisis in 1998.
The project was then passed over to the Indonesian Bank
Restructuring Agency (IBRA) which has since then, together with
Jasa Marga, established a new company, PT Jalantol Lingkarluar
Jakarta, to continue the project.
The Malaysian consortium was named preferred bidder by IBRA in
March due to its long-term commitment to the project.
The agency said that the continuing construction would need
investment of around Rp 4 trillion and that the Malaysian
consortium had agreed to provide Rp 1.2 trillion from its private
funds while another Rp 2.8 trillion was to be in the form of bank
loans.
The consortium had also agreed to provide Rp 800 billion for
land acquisition that the government was expected to supply.
The consortium comprise two subsidiaries of the semi-
governmental company, BRD-HiCom BHD -- Perspec BHD and Comtrac
BHD -- as well as Roadbuilder SDB BHD, Ranhill Corporation SDN
BHD.
Several local and foreign investors had also expressed
interest in the project, including Torno from Italy, Apil from
Australia, and PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada (CMNP), whose
president director is Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.
Hengki said that although the tender was open to local and
foreign investors, a regulation from the Financial Sector Policy
Committee stipulates that companies linked with previous
investors are automatically defaulted in the tender.
"Personally, I am not sure of the details, they might be
allowed to bid but would be evaluated later on," he said.
Earlier, Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure
Erna Witular said that she could not forbid CMNP from bidding but
that it's involvement in the tender process would likely cause
controversy. (tnt)