Jakarta, Aug 24 (Antara) - The next government under Joko Widodo, or
better known as Jokowi, is expected to continue its predecessor's plan
to realize the Sunda Strait Bridge (JSS) project which can boost
economic development in Java and Sumatra.
Acting Governor of Banten Province Rano Karno hoped that the central
government through the new president will realize the construction of
the Sunda strait bridge.
The JSS construction plan has virtually been included as one of the
strategic projects of President Susilo Bamang Yudhoyono.
Unluckily, the project is still untouched while Yudhoyono's tenure will already end next October.
"The regional government of Banten province is waiting for the central
government's decision. After all, the central government has set up a
team of seven to dealt with the JSS project. So, let us wait," Rano
Karno said after opening the 'Banten Beach Festival' in Anyer on
Saturday.
A couple of years ago, the central government formed a team of seven in
charge of working out a term of reference (ToR) for the construction of
the project.
The members of the team consist of Public Works Minister Djoko
Kirmanto, then Finance Minister Agus Martoardjojo, Cabinet Secretary
Dipo Alam, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Law and Human Rights
Minister Amir Syamsuddin, Industry Minister MS Hidayat and Minister for
National Development Planning Armida Alisjahbana.
The team was discussing the funding system of the 27.4 km bridge
project that spanned over the Sunda Strait. To be built at a cost
estimate of Rp250 trillion, the bridge will link Java and Sumatra
islands.
Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto assured the construction of the
bridge was feasible. The National Construction Service Development
Institute (LPJKN) has also made assessment on the project and is of the
opinion that Indonesia has the ability to build it.
Acting Governor Rano Karno said Banten --whose areas covered the
western tip of Java where part of the JSS was to be located --hoped the
central government through its team of seven would follow up the
project.
The regional government, if needed, is ready to discuss it with the
central government through the new president, he said.
"If need be, I am ready to meet the new President," Rano stressed.
Deputy for Infrastructure and Facilities of the Ministry of National
Development Planning Dedy S Priatna has said the outgoing government
will hand over a total of 25 strategic projects to Jokowi.
The 25 projects have not yet been done. One of the 25 strategic projects is the JSS.
He said that the present government had a total of 40 strategic
projects. Fifteen of them had been done. The remaining 25 projects will
be recommended to the next government.
Regarding Jokowi's maritime 'toll road' concept, whether it will
overlap with the JSS, Rano Karno said it will depend on the central
government's decision under the new president.
"But
what is interesting is that Pak (Mr) Chairul Tanjung, the chief
economic minister, has included the JSS project in the agenda of the
present government. So, let's wait and see," the Banten Acting Governor
said.
It is earlier estimated that the total cost needed to construct the
Sunda strait bridge is about Rp250 trillion, including Rp100 trillion
for the construction of the bridge' span and Rp150 trillion for the
development of areas at both ends of the bridge.
Expected to help improve the flow of goods and human transportation, as
well as to help generate economic development on the two islands of
Java and Sumatra, the mega-project is scheduled for completion by
2025. It is earlier expected to begin by 2015.
The bridge is hoped to smooth transportation in the Sunda strait
between Java and Sumatra. Transportation for this section has so far
been catered with ferry services by the Inland Waterway Transportation
Service (ASDP).
The ASDP serves the water route which links the Bakauheni ferry port of
Lampung Province in the eastern tip of Sumatra and the Merak port of
Banten Province in the western tip of Java.
However, the traffic jams at the ports have continued to increase from
year to year. Traffic jams happen when disturbance occurs at the two
ports or bad weather in the Sunda strait.
Antara Correspondent Hisar Sitanggang in Lampung reported early this
month that in recent years, traffic jams at the route of Merak-Bakauheni
ports have become worst raising the coverage time to about three hours
from the normal one hour.
Ferries have to spend much time before being able to moor at piers.
They have to wait outside the ports for a long time before they could
get turn to moor.
This condition causes accumulations of vehicles delivering goods and
logistics from Sumatra to Java and vice versa at the two ports.
The volumes of deliveries of goods and other logistics between the two
islands continue to increase every year. The same is true to the flow of
passengers.
Sumatra and Java are Indonesia's economic centers while the Bakauheni
and Merak ports are main gates that connect the two islands. Almost all
products to Sumatra and Java are delivered through the Bakauheni and
Merak ports.
Therefore, the JSS is an alternative project that could solve the problem of transportation at the ports.
Now the fate of JSS, however, seems to be stagnant while actually its
construction discourse had been raised since the government of president
Soekarno in the 1960s. It has even been included in the Asian Highwy
Netwok.
During the current government --which will end next October-- of
President Yudhoyono, the smart idea to build the bridge is raised again.
Worth about Rp250 trillion, the project is very expensive, yet it will benefit the national economy in the long-run.
Therefore, businesses in Banten, particularly in Lebak District, asked
the President-elect Jokowi to carry out the construction of the Sunda
Strait Bridge to boost the economic development of the islands of Java
and Sumatra.
"We are convinced that the economic growth of Banten and Lampung will
increase. The number of investors will also thrive if the bridge which
will span 27.4 kilometers over the Sunda Strait is developed ," Enjat
Sudrajat, the secretary of the Indonesian Business Association (Gapensi)
for Lebak, said on Saturday.***2***
(T.A014/b003/B003)
(T.A014/A/A. Abdussalam/Bustanuddin) 24-08-2014 19:45: |
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