3 Rupiah Billion Port Projects In Riau Islands Mangkrak, MTI Asks The Ministry Of Transportation To Immediately Complete

Illustration. Tanjung Uban Ferry Port, Riau Islands (Kepri), Wednesday 9 June 2021. (ANTARA-Akbar Nugroho Gumay)

A total of three port projects in Riau Islands Province (Kepri) are stalled. The Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) asked the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) to immediately resolve it.

"The Ministry of Transportation should immediately complete the construction of three stalled ports in Riau Islands," said the Head of MTI Kepri, Syaiful in Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, Monday, May 22, as reported by Antara.

His party deeply regrets that the construction of three ports in Riau Islands that have already swallowed APBN funds ranging from hundreds of billions of rupiah is wasted because it has not been completed.

Whereas if the port can be completed, he said, it will certainly have a positive impact as well as have a double effect on the economy in Riau Islands, especially the reach area around the port.

"The regional economy is increasing, various businesses will live, and can also create new job opportunities for the surrounding community," he said.

The three ports built by the Ministry of Transportation in Riau Islands, namely the Berakit International Port in Bintan Regency with funds that have been absorbed amounting to Rp85 billion.

Then Dompak International Port in Tanjungpinang City with funds that have been absorbed IDR 121 billion.

The Port of the Malarko Container in Karimun Regency with funds that have been absorbed is IDR 200 billion.

"The status of the three ports is now neglected," said Syaiful.

Furthermore, Syaiful said that currently the condition of these three ports is getting more and more concerning. The interior of the building was badly damaged and even collapsed. Around the port surrounded by shrubs due to being neglected.

"Many Riau Islands people ask us (MTI) to voice this in the hope of being heard directly by the central government," he said.

Syaiful added that if the three ports were completed until they could be operationalized, it would be a sweet gift from the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo towards the end of his term of office for the people of Riau Islands, who are residents of the outer islands of Indonesia and border with six neighboring countries.