Soeharto, Goh inaugurate Bintan tourist resort
By I. Christianto
BINTAN ISLAND, Riau (JP): President Soeharto and Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong inaugurated the S$3.5 billion (US$2.8 billion) Bintan Beach International Resort yesterday, a tourist destination established jointly by the two countries.
Yesterday's ceremony at Bandar Bentan Telani was attended by a number of ministers, ambassadors and business leaders, including Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung.
Based on an accord signed by Indonesia and Singapore in August 1990, Bintan has been developed as a joint tourism area, which includes a luxury golf course and beach resort.
"One of the ways to face challenges and seize opportunities in the future is by cooperating with other nations, especially our close neighbors," President Soeharto said.
"Through an agreement on economic cooperation, we shall develop Bintan as an area for industry, tourism and water re sources," he said. "Under the agreement, we will also develop an oil depot, distribution and processing facilities, maritime estate and offshore construction on Great Karimun Island and other adjacent islands. We believe the agreement between Indonesia and Singapore is highly beneficial to both parties."
The tourist area, located on the northern part of Bintan, is being developed by an Indonesia-Singapore joint venture firm on a 23,000-hectare site along a white-sand beach. The firm is 60 percent owned by an Indonesian consortium comprising of the Salim Group, PT Suakajaya Indowahana, the Riau provincial administration and the Indonesian Navy Foundation.
The other 40 percent is controlled by a Singaporean consortium, consisting of Singapore Technologies Industrial Ltd,, the Development Bank of Singapore, Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation, Overseas Union Bank, UOL Equity Investments, Straits Steamship Land, Tropical Resorts and KMP Bincorp Investments.
Cooperation
Goh said: "Indeed, the development of Bintan as a resort island extends the cooperation between our two countries into the field of tourism. Singapore's advantage as an efficient air hub together with the natural splendors of Indonesia will create vast tourism opportunities for both countries."
"There is a catchment of Singaporeans eager for new weekend destinations. The proximity to Changi Airport makes Bintan easily accessible to international tourists."
He said that the positive factors favor Bintan achieving success as the bright star, the "Bintang", among the tropical island resorts in Asia.
A director of Bintan Beach International, Anky Handoko, reported yesterday that 31,000 tourists visited Bintan in 1995.
He said that by the end of this year, some 200,000 tourists are expected to visit Bintan, which is approximately 45 minutes from Singapore by ferry.
The government has committed itself to attracting at least 11 million tourists to Indonesia annually by 2005, with total spending reaching $15 billion.
Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto said yesterday that in addition to the tourist resort, Singapore and Indonesia will also develop water resources and the Karimun industrial complex.