A steam locomotive from 1896 passes down Jl. Slamet Riyadi in Surakarta on Sunday. Transportation Minister Jusman Sjafei Djamal launched the train to carry tourists from the Purwosari to Solo Kota stations. (Antara/Andika Betha)
Indonesia’s macroeconomic fundamentals are sound and the economy continues to grow unabated despite the global economic downturn. The latest institution to give the country a thumbs up is the Asian Development Bank, which revised its 2009 growth forecast for Indonesia from 3.6 percent to 4.3 percent.
Passengers lining up on Monday to board a TransJakarta bus on Jalan Buncit Raya after a visit to Ragunan Zoo. TransJakarta is offering special Idul Fitri holiday services to the zoo and Ancol theme park through Sunday. (Photo: Afriadi Hikmal, JG)
The ADB said “robust growth in private consumption, underpinned by easing inflation and a surge in election-related government spending, drove better than expected economic growth in the first half of 2009.”
While we can take comfort in the knowledge that the country’s economy remains healthy, we must be cognizant of the underlying message in recent economic forecasts: The economy can continue to grow as a result of consumer demand, but unless public and private investment in infrastructure rises dramatically, the country faces severe bottlenecks down the road.
It’s thus heartening to note that industrial estate developer PT Jababeka is answering the government’s call for increased public-private sector partnerships to accelerate infrastructure development. Jababeka will form a consortium with other major industrial estate developers to build an integrated international dry port near Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok.
With nearly 70 percent of the country’s goods flowing through Tanjung Priok, the new $200 million port will ease congestion and allow importers and exporters to expedite the movement of goods in and out of the country. This will increase exports, which have fallen sharply, and lower transportation costs, making Indonesian goods more competitive.
It’s clear that more such projects are urgently needed. The National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) has been tasked with accelerating the development of key infrastructure projects in strategic sectors. The list is long — the country needs more sea and airports, roads and bridges, telecommunications networks and power and water plants.
Under the Bappenas plan, Jakarta will upgrade and build new sea and airports, as well as develop new highways given that most major industrial estates are situated near the capital. Private sector participation will be crucial for this plan to be realized.
But while this plan is under way, the government must also continue with efforts to streamline the bureaucracy and reduce red tape. Getting goods through customs remains one of the biggest challenges for exporters and importers alike. It must be noted that the rampant corruption of the past has been addressed, but bureaucratic bottlenecks remain.
Indonesia’s economic promise is clear for all to see. That promise will only be realized, however, with hard work and dedication to removing bottlenecks through improved infrastructure and by empowering the private sector to play a larger role in this effort.
KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN, MONDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2009 | 2:33 PM
DENPASAR, KOMPAS.com - Bali’s Ngurah Rai international airport during the week prior to Idul Fitri (Sept 14-20) served a total of 50 extra flights carrying holiday travelers to domestic destinations. "Around 6,503 passengers made use of the extra flights to a number of airports in Indonesia," a security officer at Ngurah Rai airport, Ngurah Jaya, said on Monday.
He said the extra flights were intended to carry Idul Fitri holiday travelers and other holiday makers who failed to get seats on scheduled flights. Ngurah Jaya said the number of domestic tourists arriving in Bali from various cities in Indonesia in the past one week exceeded that of Idul Fitri holiday travelers leaving the resort island for their home villages.
He said that since seven days before Idul Fitri until Sunday, Sept 20, 2009, 51,653 passengers arrived on 422 flights at Ngurah Rai airport, while 41,767 others depart from the airport on 424 flights to various destinatins.
Ngurah Jaya said the launch of extra flights from Ngurah Rai airport was started with the increase of passengers going to their home villages for Idul Fitri holidays.
"The extra flights will also be held until the holiday makers are returning from their hometowns," Ngurah Jaya said. He said that in the 24 hours on Tuesday (5 days ahead of Idul Fitri), 57 planes carrying 5,960 passengers landed at Ngurah Rai.
Last Wednesday, a total of 56 planes carrying 5,559 passengers, and another extra flight with 50 passengers left the airport. He also said that the number of international flights, both arrivals and departures, did not change much.
In the meantime, Idul Fitri transportation coordinator for Bali Sugeng Sugianto said at least 24 wide-bodied aircraft were ready for extra flights from Ngurah Rai to various destinations in Indonesia and back. The planes with unscheduled flights belonged to a number of airline companies in Indonesia.
Antara | Wed, 09/09/2009 4:06 PM
Spectators watch as paragliders fly above Timbis Beach in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Wednesday, in an attempt to break a national record. Ninety-nine gliders took to the air for 9 hours and 9 minutes during the event, held on ninth day of the ninth month of 2009. Antara/Nyoman Budhiana
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 09/08/2009 12:45 PM
The Jakarta Traffic Police plan to guard approximately 4 million motorcyclists leaving for their hometowns during Idul Fitri holidays, police said on Tuesday.
Jakarta Police traffic division chief Sr. Comr. Condro Kirono suggested that people planning to use motorcycle for the holidays should go in groups and report it to the police for a free guard.
"So far, we have received proposals from about 15,000 bikers groups," Condro said, adding that most of them are managed by their employers' companies.
"We have been gearing up 235 patrol vehicles to guard them until the border of the Greater Jakarta territory," he added.
Condro said that the police also provided four free vehicle service centers, located in Kedung Waringin (Bekasi), Grand Cakung (East Jakarta), Samsat Daan Mogot (West Jakarta), and Citra Raya (Tangerang).
At the service centers, Condro said, bikers are also provided with free resting places and a doctor to check the bikers' physical condition. (bbs)
The deal to buy $250mn CN-235 aircraft from Indonesia will be closed before the end of this fiscal year, Indonesia’s special envoy to the Middle East, Alwy Shihab, has announced.
“HH the Emir himself has ordered the purchase, so it’s only a matter of time,” Shihab said.
Alwy Shihab: ‘Looking for a long-term relationship
The envoy, who met Captain of the Qatar Air Force Ali al-Sulaity yesterday, explained the Qataris were still determining how many they would buy and to what use the 25-passenger aircraft -which can be used for evacuation, surveillance, or just civilian flying- would be put to.
Shihab added that he expected Qatar would be buying “many” of these aircraft.
The CN-235 is a medium-range twin-turbo-prop aircraft developed jointly by CASA (Spain) and IPTN (Indonesia) as a regional airliner and military transporter. The aircraft manufactured in Indonesia are used by the Indonesian air force.
Shihab also met Qatar Holding CEO Ahmed al-Sayyid, who confirmed to him that Qatar Holding Indonesia is “all set to be set up.” The company, controlled 100% by Qataris, will invest in Indonesia’s natural resources, power plants, and oil related activities.
“The Indonesians are preparing proposals for these projects that will be funded entirely by the Qatari side,” Shihab pointed out.
He added that Gulf Petroleum- jointly owned by private Qataris and Bahrainis is entering its final stage of bidding over projects in Indonesia.
Shihab also stated that Indonesia, Brunei and Qatar were entering into a tripartite-real-estate-building agreement; that will involve building resorts and hotels in one of the three countries.
“We are trying to increase the number of Qataris going to Indonesia through ads about shopping and cultural tourism,” he said. “I am sure that when Dubai’s Emar project is finished Bali will become a primary destination.”
The special envoy also took the opportunity to thank Qatar for helping Indonesia overcome the effects of the tsunami and helping it build a sustainable economy.
“When we were hit by the tsunami Qatar was at the forefront of countries extending help,” he said. “We are looking, with the Emir, for a long-term relationship between the two countries.”
