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Improvement needed in port services between Java and Sumatra: Jokowi
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Workers construct a supporting pillar for the Terbanggi Besar-Bakauheni toll road in Lampung. (kompas.com/ Arimbi Ramadhiani)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called on his Cabinet ministers to improve crossings from Bakauheni Port in Lampung and Merak Port in Banten as they are vital gateways linking Java and Sumatra islands.
"I want improvements in crossings from Bakauheni and Merak ports, including a shortening of the long standard waiting time," he said before a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.
The President also stressed the importance of replacing unsuitable equipment and facilities and improving accessibility to the ports.
(Read also: Jokowi told to begin construction of Sunda Strait Bridge in 2015)
Lampung’s economic growth surpassed national growth at 5.15 percent by the end of last year, Jokowi said, adding that the province had great potential in agriculture, horticulture and fisheries that should be cultivated seriously.
The three sectors contributed to 31.4 percent of the local gross domestic product (GDRP), followed by the manufacturing sector.
"In order to grow further, the infrastructure must be improved, including the trans-Sumatra toll road, power plants, cold storage for fish and suitable dams and irrigation for the agriculture sector," Jokowi said. (bbn)
