This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Bandara Singkawang jadi pilot project skema KPBU
22 March 2024
Jakarta, ID – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated Singkawang Airport in Singkawang City, West Kalimantan Province on Wednesday (20/3). In his opening remarks, the Head of State expressed optimism about Singkawang Airport accelerating the mobility of passengers, goods, and logistics, as well as triggering new economic growth in Singkawang City.
“We hope that it will accelerate the mobility of passengers, goods, and logistics from and to Singkawang. We also hope that there will be new economic growth centres in Singkawang City,” Jokowi said as quoted by the official Secretariat Cabinet website on Thursday (21/3/2024).
President Jokowi commends the construction of the airport, which began in 2019, featuring a 2,000-meter runway and an 8,000-square-metre terminal. The airport was built through the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme with support from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of local businesses.
“I want to express my gratitude. If this pattern can be applied in more airports, projects, or ports, infrastructure development in Indonesia can be accelerated,” the President stated.
President Jokowi also explained that Singkawang Airport construction was a result of an excellent collaboration between the public sector and the private sector. With a contribution of Rp272 billion from the state budget (APBN) and Rp155 billion from local businesses, the project has become an example of how active involvement of the community can accelerate infrastructure development in Indonesia.
“The airport can serve as a model and be replicated in other regions, particularly its cooperative scheme. It adopts the PPP scheme and boasts outstanding CSR initiatives. This will accelerate the development potential of various regions in Indonesia,” the President revealed.
During the occasion, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that Singkawang Airport’s concept design was inspired by the three mountains near the airport’s location, namely Raya Mountain, Pasi Mountain, and Poteng Mountain.
In the Hakka language, Singkawang is referred to as 'San Khew Jong', which etymologically means a city located on hills, near the sea, and close to an estuary.
The Transportation Minister appreciates all parties who have supported the construction of Singkawang Airport. “We extend our utmost appreciation to the provincial and local Forkopimdas (Regional Leadership Coordination Forums), the relevant ministries and institutions, the House of Representatives (DPR), as well as the community and businesses in Singkawang,” the Transportation Minister stated.
Enhancing transportation in Kalimantan
Several transportation nodes in Kalimantan will also be improved to support connectivity. This was affirmed by Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi when he visited several transportation nodes in Kalimantan, including Rahadi Oeasman Airport in Ketapang, West Kalimantan as well as Iskandar Airport and Kumai Port in Pangkalam Bun, Central Kalimantan on Tuesday (19/3).
“The Transportation Ministry will continue enhancing airport and port services in Kalimantan to bolster connectivity, attract more tourists, and stimulate local economic growth. Facility upgrades are planned and revitalisations may be undertaken as necessary to ensure passenger comfort,” the Transportation Minister said.
Rahadi Oesman Airport in Ketapang is a class 3 airport with a runway spanning 1,400 x 30 metres and a terminal of 1,800 m2. In 2024, the airport’s terminal will be revised with a budget of Rp20 billion.
The airport serves Ketapang-Pontianak flights four times a day and Ketapang-Semarang flights three times a week. In 2023, the airport handled 1,234 aircraft with 70,078 arriving passengers and 70,341 departing passengers.
Meanwhile, Iskandar Airport in Pangkalan Bun is an airport with a runway of 2,120 x 45 metres and a terminal of 3,500 m2. This airport serves flights to Jakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang.
Every day, there are three airlines that serve round-trip flights from Pangkalan Bun to Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya.
In the short term. The terminal in Iskandar Airport will be renovated to enhance passenger comfort. Next, Iskandar Airport will also expand its parking area and increase the number of pioneer flights to improve the connectivity between islands in Kalimantan.
The Transportation Minister is continuously boosting the development of Iskandar Airport to support the tourism sector in Pangkalan Bun. One of its tourist destinations is Tanjung Putting National Park, which is the natural habitat of orangutans.
Besides visiting Iskandar Airport, the Transportation Minister also visited Kumai Port in Central Kalimantan. The port is a ferry port that serve the Kumai-Kendal route in Central Java.
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