Madura bridge project to start this year

Madura bridge project to start this year

JAKARTA (JP): Eight ministers, a number of high ranking
officials, Japanese company executives and military officers
gathered at the Ministry of Public Works yesterday to finalize
plans on the development of the Suramadu bridge which will
connect Surabaya and Madura island.

After chairing the meeting, State Minister of Research
Technology B.J. Habibie told journalists that the construction of
the Suramadu bridge will commence this year.

"Initially, we planned to start construction next August. But,
since there are some technical problems like incomplete data from
the results of a study on the environmental impacts, we might not
be able to start it in August as planned. But for sure, we will
start later this year," Habibie said.

Official data show that the project will be 80 percent
financed by Japan's Overseas Economic Corporation Fund, 12
percent by an Indonesian-Japanese consortium and eight percent by
the central bank (Bank Indonesia).

The Japanese companies represented in yesterday's meeting
included Mitsubishi Corp., Itochu Corp. and Long-Term Credit
Bank. The Indonesian companies included PT Bukaka Teknik Utama,
industrial estate in East Java PT SIER, state-owned shipbuilding
company PT PAL and steel producer PT Krakatau Steel.

Bridge construction will cost Rp 450 billion (US$205 million)
but another Rp 35 billion will be needed for the procurement of
bridge machinery and Rp 15 billion for the procurement of toll
equipment.

Construction of the Suramadu bridge, which will span six
kilometers from Surabaya to Madura island, was in the balance as
the government and Madurese locals failed to reach a final
agreement.

A number of local ulemas, including the influential kyai
(Islamic scholar), Alawi Muhammad, have voiced their objection to
the bridge project which will beget industrialization of the
island.

Habibie has said that construction of the bridge will only be
feasible if it is followed by the development of some industrial
estates and housing complexes on the island.

When asked about local concern, Habibie promised that the
government would consider all aspects pertinent to the
development of the island, including the local people's
interests.

"The government and the local ulemas have the same mission; we
want to improve the welfare of the people. So, actually there are
no fundamental differences between the government and the local
ulemas," Habibie said.

Sharing Habibie's view, East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman
said the government will take into account the local ulemas'
concern that the industrialization in the island not affect the
mental and spiritual life of the Madurese.

Chief of East Java Military Staff Brigadier General Slamet
S.T. noted that the local Armed Forces are ready to guard the
development of the bridge and the industrialization of the
island.

Construction of the bridge, industrial estates and housing
complexes, said Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar, is
expected to be completed within three to four years.

He conceded that a number of state companies under his
supervision, including toll-road operator PT Jasa Marga, will
participate in the construction of the bridge.

Also on hand at yesterday's meeting were Minister of Home
Affairs Yogie S.M., Minister of Transportation Haryanto
Dhanutirto, Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
Djojonegoro, State Minister of Public Housing Akbar Tandjung,
State Minister of Agrarian Affairs Soni Harsono, State Minister
of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and M. Noer, former East
Java governor. (rid)