President Jokowi: Merak-Surabaya to be Connected in December

President Jokowi accompanied by Cabinet Secretary and State-Owned Enterprises Minister opens Section 3-4 Pejagan-Pemalang Toll Road, at Tegal Timur Toll Gate, Tegal, Central Java, on Friday (9/11). (Photo by: Oji/Public Relations Division)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, on Friday (9/11), inaugurated the Pejagan – Pemalang Toll Road Sections 3 and 4 East Brebes – Sewaka and Pemalang – Batang Toll Road segment Sewaka – Pemalang Interchange, which is part of the TransJava toll road project, at Tegal Timur Toll Gate, Tegal, Central Java.

The toll road inauguration, according to the President, has marked that connectivity in Indonesia in the past four years has increasingly materialized.

“Inter-island connectivity, inter-provincial connectivity, connectivity between regencies/cities, such as ports, roads, airports, are increasingly integrated. Region after region, island after island start to be connected,” the President said, adding that with the increasingly connected connectivity, social justice, equity will be evenly materialized in all islands that we have.

Therefore, the President expressed hope that smooth distribution of goods and services will increasingly materialize.

The President went on to explain that of 870 kilometer-toll roads from Merak to Banyuwangi, 640 kilometers of which have completed. The toll road will soon be fully connected from Merak to Surabaya in the second week of December.

“What is lack is Pejagan-Pemalang, Batang-Semarang, Salatiga-Kertasura,” said the President, adding that for Batang-Semarang, according to the President, it will be completed in December, Salatiga-Kertasura will also be completed in December, Sragen-Ngawi will be completed at the end of November, and Nganjuk-Wilangan will be completed in December as well.

“Finally, Merak – Surabaya will be connected in December,” the President said, adding that Probolinggo – Banyuwangi will be completed in 2019.

The President also expressed hope that the construction of infrastructure carried out by Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises and Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, especially toll roads, will speed up the smooth distribution of goods and services.

Also present at the inauguration included Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, and Deputy Governor of Central Java Taj Yasin. (DND/OJI/ES)

Translated by: Muhardi

Edited by: Mia Medyana B.