The construction of the trans-Java highway connecting Merak Port in Banten and Surabaya in East Java, which began in 1996, will soon be completed. Of the highway’s 870 kilometers, 640 kilometers are already in service while the rest will be completed in the next few months.
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TEGAL, KOMPAS — The construction of the trans-Java highway connecting Merak Port in Banten and Surabaya in East Java, which began in 1996, will soon be completed. Of the highway’s 870 kilometers, 640 kilometers are already in service while the rest will be completed in the next few months.
On Friday (9/11/2018), President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was in Tegal regency, Central Java, to inaugurate the 37.3-kilometer East Brebes-Sewaka segment of the Pejagan-Pemalang toll road and the 5.4-kilometer Sewaka-Pemalang interchange segment of the Pemalang-Batang toll road. The President was accompanied by Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil, Central Java Deputy Governor Taj Yasin Maimoen, Tegal Regent Umi Azizah and Tegal Mayor Nursholeh.
President Jokowi said he was pleased at the completion of the toll-road projects and he hoped that local people would reap benefits from them. Improved connectivity across regions, supported by toll roads, airports and seaports, will hopefully lead to the establishment of new economic hubs. This, in turn, should boost regional economies.
“We hope that social justice and equality will be achieved in all of Indonesia. Distribution of goods and services will also be smoother,” the President said.
The 57.5-kilometer Pejagan-Pemalang toll road was built at a cost of Rp 7.62 trillion (US$519.02 million) by state-owned construction company PT Waskita Karya using syndicated loans from banks under BNI’s lead. Construction of the first two sections began in November 2014. They were opened in June 2016. Sections 3 and 4, which the President inaugurated on Friday, began construction in January 2017. The toll road connects Pejagan in Brebes regency to Pemalang regency in Central Java.
Infrastructure development has been the focus of the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla administration, with the aim of helping Indonesia catch up with other countries. It is hoped infrastructure availability will reduce logistical costs, improve the marketing of local products, attract potential investors to regions and, eventually, create new economic centers all across Indonesia.
Promoting local products
Therefore, the President said that infrastructure development should be accompanied by the preparation of facilities, including rest areas that sell local products and dishes. “I have proposed to the regent and mayor that salted eggs, satay and shallots be promoted in the rest areas. Soon, [the toll road] rest areas will be completed,” the President said.
It is hoped rest areas will promote local products and help boost the local economy. Space must be provided for local brands and products, instead of being dominated by imported brands.
“Local brands, instead of imported products, should rule in rest areas. They should be regional brands, Indonesian brands,” the President said.
The Central Java government said it would respond positively to the President’s request. Deputy Governor Taj said his administration would push for the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the province. Comprehensive road connectivity, supported by the presence of toll roads all over the province, should boost local SMEs.
“The Central Java government has issued soft loans at 7 percent interest,” he said, adding that the government would also provide alternative funding for people.
PT Waskita Karya president director I Gusti Ngurah Putra said the toll road’s sections 1 and 2 were operating smoothly. The opening of sections 3 and 4 will boost the smooth operation of the 57.5-kilometer toll road.
PT Waskita Karya has also been working on the 39.2-kilometer Pemalang-Batang toll road. Ngurah Putra said that, currently, the company through its subsidiary owned eight toll roads spanning a total of 1,000 kilometers, of which 865 kilometers are under the company’s management.