Gudang Garam, Owned By Conglomerate Susilo Wonowidjojo, Receives Support From Luhut For Land Acquisition For The Development Of Kediri's Dhoho Airport

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan will provide support to Gudang Garam in land acquisition of Dhoho Kediri Airport, East Java, so that construction can be completed as planned, by June 2023.

"Because of this PSN no one can hinder. We will support all of them. We must help. I hope that the TNI and Polri will also really help with security. I also ask the local government to support us. We are one, if we are one, there is nothing we cannot do." finish it, we have to be united," he said during a visit to Kediri Airport, Tuesday, November 30, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, December 1.

The visit was made in order to directly check the progress of the construction of Kediri's Dhoho Airport, which is the National Strategic Project (PSN) of Gudang Garam, owned by conglomerate Susilo Wonowidjojo.

Also attending to accompany Luhut were the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of BPN Sofyan Djalil, as well as the Deputy for Investment and Mining Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs Septian Hario Seto, Special Staff for Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Lambock Nahattand, Mayor of Kediri Abdullah Abu Bakar, Regent of Tulungagung Maryoto Birowo, Deputy Kediri Regent Dewi Mariya Ulfa, Head of the Kediri Regency Land Office Andreas Rochyadi, and Head of the East Java Province BPN Regional Office Jonahar.

In his remarks, Coordinating Minister Luhut said the construction of Kediri's Dhoho Airport would have an impact on the economy in the southern part of East Java.

"So I think this will have an impact in the south of East Java from Trenggalek, Pacitan, to Banyuwangi. I don't think there is a need to go to Surabaya again," he said.

Coordinating Minister Luhut also emphasized that airport construction should be closely monitored so that later it will have good quality. Not only that, he also reminded all relevant stakeholders to continue to be able to maintain solidity and enthusiasm in carrying out connectivity development between Kediri Airport and the Kediri Tulungagung Toll Road, which is a unit that must be jointly supported to be completed in 2023.

On the same occasion, Minister of ATR/Head of BPN Sofyan Djalil said he was also there to assist in the context of land acquisition.

"Therefore, to BPN friends, the Coordinating Minister has ordered his deputy to build an all out, therefore, we must be more proactive, let's prepare ourselves to complete this land acquisition as quickly as possible," said Minister Sofyan.

Minister Sofyan also appreciated PT Gudang Garam which had poured funds for the construction of this airport.

"I think what Gudang Garam has done is extraordinary, this southern part of East Java still has a lot of infrastructure weaknesses. I think Gudang Garam is part of the payback, paying back to the area where Gudang Garam has been raised by this region," he said.

Director of PT Gudang Garam Tbk. Istata Taswin Siddharta reported the progress of the construction of Kediri's Dhoho Airport, which currently has reached around 80 percent of the air side work, meanwhile ground work has also begun with a target of completion by the end of 2022.

He also said that one of the goals of the Kediri Airport development is to improve connectivity and improve development disparities, especially in the southern part of East Java province.

"In addition, we hope that the area around the airport can grow into a new economic center," concluded Istata.