Small firms seek to involve in JORR

JAKARTA: The Association of Indonesian General Contractors (Askumindo) hopes that state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga will involve small and medium firms in developing the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR).

Chairman of the Association Tubagus Imron said on Thursday that the 60-kilometer JORR project would cost trillions of rupiah. It was planned to link the outer parts of Jakarta, from Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, East Jakarta, to Pondok Pinang, South Jakarta, to Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, and on to Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

"If Jasa Marga allocates parts of the construction work to small and medium companies it will help regenerate the local economy, which is still hit by the multi-faceted crisis," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Speaking to the media after launching the askumindo.or.id website, he said that the government's decision to appoint Jasa Marga as the JORR investor was right. If a foreign investor were appointed, the local potential could simply have been ignored.

According to him, 80 percent of Askumindo's membership of about 10,000 comprised small and medium enterprises.

Tubagus said that the website was aimed at providing information on construction projects in all provinces of the country so that its members would have a better chance of bidding for the work.--JP