North Kalimantan Provincial Government Accelerates Border Road Infrastructure Development

The Deputy Governor of North Kalimantan, Ingkong Ala, has affirmed that his administration is striving to accelerate the development of road infrastructure linking North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. “Last Thursday (2/7) we directly inspected the road in the border and inland areas connecting North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan,” Ingkong Ala stated in Tanjung Selor on Sunday. Ingkong noted that by visiting and experiencing the road conditions firsthand, it provided evaluation material for the North Kalimantan Provincial Government to speed up development and determine the next steps. He personally experienced how the community has had to struggle from East Kalimantan, traversing muddy roads, steep inclines, and severely damaged sections to reach Kilometre 95 on the East Kalimantan–North Kalimantan border route. “The results of this field review serve as evaluation material for the North Kalimantan Provincial Government to coordinate with the central government, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government, and relevant companies regarding the improvement of border road infrastructure,” he said. According to him, this visit was not merely a field trip but an effort to see firsthand the condition of the access that has been the lifeline connecting communities in the border region. For this reason, he and his entourage traversed the road section to the point known for having the most difficult terrain. “We saw along the journey that vehicles were repeatedly trapped in mud pools and had to be towed by one another to continue moving,” he said. The difficult terrain, he continued, provides a real picture of the challenges faced daily by the community and business operators in distributing goods and reaching the border areas. He therefore stressed that this condition is a serious concern for the North Kalimantan Provincial Government, as adequate road infrastructure is key to facilitating public mobility, reducing logistics costs, and opening up economic growth opportunities in the border region. “I hope this becomes the initial step in accelerating the construction and improvement of border access roads, so that North Kalimantan-East Kalimantan connectivity becomes smoother and no longer an economic obstacle for the local community,” he said. Previously, the Deputy Governor of North Kalimantan held a meeting with the Governor of East Kalimantan, Rudy Mas’ud, on Tuesday (30/6) at the East Kalimantan Governor’s Office in Samarinda, with an agenda to strengthen synergy in efforts to accelerate inter-regional connectivity development. This step is being realised through discussions on the utilisation and maintenance of the main road sections connecting the two provinces. “The existence of this road section is the lifeline of inter-provincial connectivity that supports public mobility, distribution of goods and services, development of border areas, regional economic growth, and equitable development,” he said. Ingkong conveyed that the meeting was a momentum to strengthen coordination while evaluating the steps for accelerating infrastructure development of mutual interest. “For the North Kalimantan Provincial Government, the access road to East Kalimantan is one of the priorities in opening up the isolation of inland areas,” he revealed. Ingkong said the North Kalimantan Provincial Government appreciates the commitment of the East Kalimantan Provincial Government, which continues to support the strengthening of cross-regional cooperation. According to him, this collaboration will provide significant benefits in maintaining smooth connectivity and inter-regional logistics distribution. “Previously, this cooperation commitment was formalised in the Signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan Provincial Governments on 7 August 2025 at the Swiss Belhotel Tarakan,” he said. Through this cooperation, the border road development is planned to connect Long Bagun District, Mahakam Ulu Regency, East Kalimantan, spanning 120 kilometres, with Apau Kayan District, Malinau Regency, North Kalimantan, spanning 22 kilometres. The North Kalimantan Provincial Government hopes that the ongoing synergy with the East Kalimantan Provincial Government can accelerate the realisation of reliable connectivity, thereby opening economic access, improving services to the community, and strengthening development in the border region. “Through this direct field inspection, we affirm our commitment to continue overseeing the improvement of border region connectivity as part of equitable development and enhancing community welfare,” he said.