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Rail, sea transport key to Pantura's problems, says Jokowi
While presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto chose to stay in Jakarta on Wednesday, his rival Joko âJokowiâ Widodo continued campaigning in several cities in Java to elaborate on the details of the economic plan he outlined during the June 15 TV debate with Prabowo
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W
hile presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto chose to stay in Jakarta on Wednesday, his rival Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo continued campaigning in several cities in Java to elaborate on the details of the economic plan he outlined during the June 15 TV debate with Prabowo.
Prabowo was apparently preoccupied with mounting questions concerning his own statement during the TV debate, where he said he could easily find Rp 1 quadrillion (US$84.64 billion) from the 'leakage' of the country's assets to finance next year's budget if he won the July 9 presidential election. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono doubted Prabowo's claim.
Prabowo's opponents and critics said his claim was totally baseless, while his supporters and running mate Hatta Rajasa tried desperately to defend the former general. Hatta was Yudhoyono's coordinating economic minister before he joined Prabowo's ticket.
Meanwhile, in his discussions with citizens, Jokowi suggested that a major shift of freight transportation to sea lanes and railway lines was the only effective way to solve 'never-ending' problems along Java's northern coast highway, which is more commonly known as Pantura.
'For decades, Pantura's problems have remained as the route is still the only freight route connecting Jakarta and Surabaya,' he told reporters in Cirebon, West Java.
Jokowi has been visiting several places along Pantura in West Java since Monday, including Cirebon, as part of his six-day campaign tour across Java.
Pantura is considered the most congested road corridor in Java, and has been constantly damaged due to trucks carrying heavy loads.
Repair work is conducted every year, costing the state trillions of rupiah, to anticipate increased traffic during the annual Idul Fitri exodus. The state funds allocated for the work balloon each year.
Continuous repairs have disrupted the flow of traffic, causing jams that significantly delay the distribution of goods as well as curtailing the mobility of people.
'If you talk about logistics management, the cheapest is via the sea. If there are big ships constantly serving the cities along Java's northern coast, the burden on Pantura will be significantly reduced,' Jokowi said.
The former Surakarta mayor has repeatedly conveyed the idea to provide regular freight ships to serve major cities from west to east, a concept he has dubbed a 'sea toll'.
He also added that the double track or double-double track railway could also shoulder some of the freight burden on Pantura.
'That way, Pantura will only be used for passengers and short-distance cargo,' Jokowi said. 'This will lead to massive multiplier effects and a major reduction of commodity prices, particularly in remote regions.'
The 727-kilometer double track between Jakarta and Surabaya was finished earlier this year.
Jokowi said the construction of supporting facilities could be financed by the state budget or private investment.
He also brushed off suggestions that land acquisitions would severely hamper the project.
'If you see my work as Jakarta governor, you will know that many land acquisition processes that were stalled for up to 15 years were resolved. The key was communication because actually the people just needed a realistic and humane explanation and settlement.'
