New Airport for Papua and West Papua

To make it easier to reach a number of remote areas, the Central Government through the Ministry of Transportation will build dozens of new airports.

This is done as an effort to carry out infrastructure development and development, in areas that are difficult to access by land and sea transportation.

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said that the infrastructure will be built by building 21 new airports in areas that are difficult to access by land and sea transportation.

"There are 21 new airports including Tambelan in Bintan Riau, Muhammad Siddik in North Barito, Siau Airport in North Sulawesi, Toraja and in Papua," Budi said in a webinar, Friday (14/8/2020).

The construction of this new airport, continued Budi, is in order to facilitate connectivity of border communities and those living in outermost, remote and disadvantaged areas.

This, according to Budi, is in line with President Joko Widodo's program that Indonesia develops from border areas. So fast transportation infrastructure, such as air transportation, is believed to create high community connectivity.

"The availability of means of transportation provides opportunities that have a positive impact on society to broaden their horizons and get to know other ethnicities and cultures," said Budi.

Air transportation, said Budi, can be likened to a bridge that connects, unites and binds diversity between Indonesian regions.

Budi added that the presence of air transportation is expected to be a solution to connecting people in isolated areas to other areas.

"So that it can increase development and economy in remote, underdeveloped, outermost and border areas," said Budi.

The Ministry of Transportation, continued Budi, will continue to open air transportation activities to expedite activities and knit diversity in Indonesia with a commitment to make access more affordable.