Madura bridge needs approval

Madura bridge needs approval

SEMARANG, Central Java: State Minister of Research and
Technology B.J. Habibie said the construction of a 20-kilometer
bridge between Java and Madura island would only proceed with the
approval of the local people.

"If the people support the project, the bridge will be
constructed. On the other hand, the project will not go ahead if
the people are against it," he told Moslem scholars and ulemas
during a meeting at Diponegoro University.

Habibie, who is also chairman of the Association of Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI), said the government plans to build the
bridge with the intention of accelerating economic development on
the island.

The bridge's construction still hangs in the balance because
no final agreement has been made between the government and the
local people. (har)