Gov’t Continues to Build Roads in Border Areas in North Kalimantan

Road in North Kalimantan. (Photo source: Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing)

Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has announced it continues to build roads in the border areas in North Kalimantan province, which shares a border with the Malaysian state of Sabah.

The Ministry stated that the construction of the roads aims to boost connectivity between regions, facilitate access to isolated areas, and represent a fair development results outside Java island, especially in border areas all over Indonesia.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono Sunday (4/4/2021) said: “This connection of the roads in border areas has a strategic value for Indonesia that also functions as state defense and security and support new economic growth centers in the border area.”

In total, 992,35 kilometers of roads in the border areas in North Kalimantan consist of 614,55 kilometers of parallel road of border area and 377,8 kilometers of access road to the border areas.

For the record, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing this year has allocated Rp247 billion to build roads in border areas. The budget has been allocated to build 6,5 kilometers of Long Boh-Metulang-Long Nawang Road and 21,5 kilometers of Long Boh-Metulang-Long Nawang 2 Road.

Furthermore, other tasks that must be done are switching the forest function in Long Boh-Metulang into the road spanning 3,5 kilometers and 3,7 kilometers of Long Kemuat-Langap Road, as well as routine maintenance of 312,3-kilometer road in the border area.

In addition, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing also has allocated Rp468 billion to build an access to the border in North Kalimantan, namely 2 kilometers of Malinau-Semamu Road, 3,2 kilomoters of Malinau-Semamu 1 Road, 13,66 kilometers of Long Semamu-Long Bawan Road, and 3,9 kilometers of Long Nawang Road.

Asphalting roads is also prioritized to the residential areas or densely populated areas which have public facilities such as community health centers, markets, schools, and government offices.

In the meantime, the use of pavement or subbase is for areas that still need to increase daily traffics.

The construction of roads in border areas and access roads to border area in North Kalimantan are expected to open isolated regions in order to support people in the areas.

The increasing community connectivity is expected to positively create new logistic ways that aim to support economic growth. (PR of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing/UN) (AP/EP)