RI, Malaysia to build world's longest bridge
RI, Malaysia to build world's longest bridge
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto gave his blessing yesterday
for the construction of a 95-kilometer bridge connecting the
Malaysian peninsula and Sumatra.
The bridge will be built by a private consortium of Indonesian
and Malaysian companies.
The Indonesian consortium, PT Malindo Transmadu, is headed by
Siti Hediati Heriyadi Prabowo, Soeharto's second daughter.
Malaysia is represented by Renong Sdn. Bhd.
The project has been dubbed Satuan Pendekat Antar Nusa (Bridge
to Bring Islands Closer) or SPAN.
Hediati, known as Titiek, said the main bridge would extend 42
kilometers across the Strait of Malacca, then 47 kilometers
across an island in Riau and another six kilometers from the
island to mainland Riau.
The island's name was not disclosed, but Antara reported that
it was Rupat Island.
Once completed, Titiek expects 2,000 to 5,000 vehicles will
use the bridge each day.
The toll road bridge will be about 36 meters wide and stand 75
to 90 meters above the sea.
"It will not disturb sea traffic (across the Strait of
Malacca)," said Titiek, who is wife of Special Forces Commander
Maj. Gen. Prabowo Subianto.
Despite the detailed plans, she would not reveal when
construction would start.
"We can only start construction after receiving approval from
the IMO," she said referring to the International Maritime
Organization (IMO).
Approval is needed to ensure that the bridge does not
interfere with international sea passage in the narrow straits.
"This is a long-term project and we won't start it in the near
future," Titiek said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad first proposed the project to
Soeharto when they met in Kuala Lumpur in October. The proposal
was raised in June when the two met at the Development Eight (D-
8) summit in Istanbul.
Titiek would not elaborate further, saying only they had just
completed a five-year feasibility study.
She also refused to name potential shareholders.
"Only after presenting this project to Malaysian Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad can we reveal further details," she
added.
She was confident that the project, estimated to take five
years, would not burden the government.
"Our financial resources will come from the capital market,
issuance of bonds and long-term loans from international banking
syndications," she said without giving an estimate.
Present at yesterday's meeting at Bina Graha presidential
office were president director of ALatief Corporation Usman
Ja'far and director of the Maharani Group Hendro Martowardoyo.
The Malaysians were represented by Malaysian government
economic advisor Daim Zainuddin, Tan Sri Halim Saad from Renong
Sdn. Bhd and Ramli Mohammad from United Engineers Bhd. (prb)