Govt invites private sector to build 14 new airports

Minister of Transportation Freddy Numberi has given an opportunity to the private sector to develop 14 new airports the government will build starting in 2011.

“Principally if the private sector wants to join, just go ahead,” Freddy said in Jakarta as quoted by tempointeraktif.com on Wednesday.

Freddy made the remarks in a response to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's statement in the latter's state address at the House of Representatives on Monday that the government will build 14 new airports and renovate 118 airports. A fund of Rp 198 billion (US$22.10 million) has been earmarked from the 2011 state budget.

Freddy explained that the new airports will mostly be built in the eastern parts fo Indonesia, like West Nusa Tenggara and Bali. “In West Nusa Tenggara it is still in process. In Bali we will build another one as the Ngurah Rai airport has already been in over capacity,” he said.

Meanwhile, head of the public communication center at the Ministry of Transportation Bambang S. Ervan said that the 14 new airports will be built in the eastern part of Seram (Kuffar), Bone, Enggano, Muara Bungo, Muara Teweh, Morowali, Saumlaki Baru, Sinak Baru, Tojo Una-Una, Tual Baru, Wagete Baru, Waisai Raja Ampat, Nam Niwel and Sumarorong.

“They are all located in Papua, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Maluku, Bengkulu and Jambi. The airports are mostly for small aircrafts,” he said.