President Jokowi Inaugurates Expansion Project of Jambi’s Sultan Thaha Airport

President Jokowi at Sultan Thaha Airport in Jambi (21/7)

1President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on Thursday (21/7) inaugurated the expansion project of Sultan Thaha International Airport in Jambi.

The new airport will have terminals covering an area of 35,000 square meters and a parking area covering an area of 26,500 square meters that can accommodate 436 cars and 415 motorcycles.

The expansion project include building passenger terminals and parking areas that require Rp126 billions, the construction of aprons that require  Rp110 billion, the construction of towers and operational buildings that require Rp16 billion, and the construction of main facilities and supporting facilities that require Rp67 billion.

Meanwhile, President Jokowi in his remarks said global competition is inevitable and must be faced by all countries, including Indonesia. Thus, infrastructure development as a prerequisite to face the competition cannot be delayed anymore, the President said.

“Infrastructure development is a basic foundation to win competition among countries,” the President further said.

Therefore, as one of the preparations for Indonesia in facing the global competition, President Jokowi has instructed the expansion of Sultan Thaha Airport, which is managed by state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II.

“This competition should be immediately prepared for. Otherwise, we will be left behind. Therefore, the Sultan Thaha Airport in Jambi urgently needs to be expanded,” he said.

President Jokowi added that the expansion of the airport was expected to begin in 2019. However, due to rapid growth in the airline industry that reaches 27 percent per year, the President instructed Minister of State-owned Enterprises and Director of PT. Angkasa Pura II to begin the expansion project in 2017.

“We must not postpone the extension until the airport is overcrowded with passengers. We have decided to begin the project earlier, which is in 2017,” the President said.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also hopes that small airports in areas around Sultan Thaha Airport such as Muara Bungo and Kerinci can be built and completed by 2017 and the President believes that once those small airports are finished and can be operated, access to those two areas will be far easier.

He cited the example that if it previously took 9 hours to get to Kerinci by land, it will be faster by planes.

“Large aircrafts can land here at Sultan Thaha Airport, while to transport goods and peoples to Kerinci and Muara Bungo, small aircrafts can be used,” he said.

President Jokowi also hopes that every airport that is built can be integrated with other modes of transportation, such as trains or buses so the people have more alternatives of transportation modes to reach their destinations.

After the inauguration ceremony, President Jokowi toured around the airport and talked with several passengers.

Also attending the inauguration ceremony were First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Oesman Sapta Odang, Minister of Transportation Ignasius Jonan, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Communication and Informatics Rudiantara, and Jambi Governor Zumi Zola Zulkifli. (BPMI/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)