Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Inauguration of Mentawai Airport at Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra Province, October 25, 2023

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Good afternoon,

May prosperity be upon us all.

Shallom.

Distinguished Minister of Transportation, Presidential Chief of Staff, Governor of West Sumatra, Regent of Mentawai, all Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) representatives in attendance, community leaders.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Guests,

Alhamdulillah, today we will soon inaugurate the operation of Mentawai Airport, one of the outermost airports in Indonesia. The airport will replace the already existing Rokot Aiport in Sipora Island, whose runway is only 850 meters long and can only be used by a 12-passenger Cessna aircraft. Now, with the newly-inaugurated airport, the runway is 1,500-meter long, with a width of 30 meters, and ATR aircraft can land directly on Mentawai Island now.

We hope that with ATR aircraft being able to land (on Mentawai Island), we hope that more tourists will come to Mentawai Island, especially those who like surfing. I have already told Minister for Transportation that not only Cessna should land here, but ATR should also land on Mentawai Island soon, because it can carry 78 passengers at once, previously Cessna can only carry 12 (passengers), but now 78 (passengers) can be carried by ATR. I have just flown with this big aircraft, it landed very smoothly and there was no problem.

I hope that as the airport operates, people’s mobility will be easier, and the tourism potentials in Mentawai Islands can also be developed even better, so, we hope that the surfing tourism will grow even further. And perhaps, planes from overseas can also land directly in Padang city or Mentawai Island.

I believe that with more access to an area and better connectivity, the local community will gain a big multiplier effect and the opportunity to develop new businesses, and this is what we hope can improve the public welfare.

This concludes my remarks, and by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, today, I hereby officially inaugurate the Mentawai Airport in Mentawai Islands regency, West Sumatra province.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(SI/AW/LW)