Jakarta – Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has said that the government plans to develop 10 new airports to support the development of tourism in the country.

He said the government was discussing financial resources for the planned projects. "The valuation process is being discussed by the Finance Ministry," Budi said in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kompas.com.

Airports would be developed in Lampung, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Kalimantan, Bangka Belitung and North Sumatra, he said.

Tjilik Riwut Airport in Central Kalimantan was slated for completion this year, Budi said, adding that the the project had secured an investment of Rp 400 billion (US$27 million).

Speaking about financial resources for the airport projects, Budi said that the government invited the private sector to help develop the airports because of a limited amount of funds for infrastructure from the state budget. The government was also discussing ownership of the airports, he added.

"There is an option that the airport would be owned by private companies, while the government would only supervise and operate the airports that would be developed by state-owned airport operators [AP I and AP II]," he said.

For security reasons, the government needed to control the operation of the airports, which would be owned by private companies, he said.

He said the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway project was an example of an infrastructure project that was being funded by private companies. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/07/12/government-to-build-10-new-airports.html