DI
Chinese investors are interested in building and funding a bridge project connecting Batam Island and Bintan Island, Riau Islands Province with an estimated investment of at least Rp 4 trillion.
Provincial Governor of Riau Islands Nurdin Basirun said that some foreign investors have conveyed his wishes to him.
“One of them [investors from China] who built Suramadu Bridge [Surabaya – Madura,” Nurdin said after lunch with Minister of Public Works and People’s Housing Basoeki Hadimoeljono, Friday (2/3/2018).
According to the Governor, if the bridge along approximately 7 kilometers is to be realized, not only profitable Riau Islands, but also national. Because the existence of the bridge is believed to attract investment from national and foreign entrepreneurs.
“Now we are waiting for the government regulation scheme,” said Nurdin. The provincial government, he said, ready to provide convenience, among others, through one-stop service licensing.
Minister Basoeki when asked for confirmation confirmed if many foreign investors are interested to build the bridge, especially from China. According to him, the government will continue to review its development scheme.
‘Whether built entirely by the private sector, the KPBU [cooperation between the government and the business entity], or the state budget. Everything should be reviewed. ”
Some time ago, the Ministry of PUPR once stated that the Batam-Bintan Bridge project is entirely the responsibility of Batam Enterprises Agency.
Director of Bridge of the Ministry of PUPR Iwan Zarkasi, when it said that the construction of a bridge that connects the two islands in Riau Islands Province was not included in the long-term bridge development program in 2018.
According to him, the person in charge of the program is in Batam Enterprises Agency (BP Batam). “I do not know about the plan yet. There is no Batam-Bintan Bridge development program for long spans bridge next year, and there has been no talks at all, “he said when contacted by Bisnis on Monday (14/08/2017).
As quoted from The Strait Times at that time, the Batam-Bintan Bridge was first initiated by Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) in 2005. Afterwards, after conducting a feasibility study in 2012, a South Korean company is said to be interested in participating in this project . However, the project was canceled.
Local governments are again trying to revive the bridge to boost connectivity in the Riau Islands. Infrastructure connecting Batam Island-Pulau Tanjung Sauh-Pulau Bau-Pulau Bintan is also mentioned to require funding of about US $ 350 million.
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