The Inauguration Of Siboru Airport, Fakfak Regency By President Joko Widodo Is One Of The Successes Of Several PTPP Projects In Papua

Simboru Airport in Fakfak, Papua. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Transportation)

JAKARTA - PT PP (Persero) Tbk (PTPP) carried out the inauguration of Siboru Airport located in Fakfak Regency, West Papua. The inauguration ceremony was inaugurated directly by President Joko Widodo which was symbolically marked by the signing of the inscription.

The inauguration ceremony of Siboru Fakfak Airport which was held on Thursday, November 23, was also attended by the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia, Governor of West Papua Ali Baham Temongmere, Chairman of the West Papua Provincial DPRD Orgenes Wonggor, Regent of Fakfak Untung Tamsil, President Director of PTPP Novel Arsyad, Director of Operations for Infrastructure Yul Ari Pramuraharjo, as well as Indigenous Leaders and Fakfak Communities.

Siboru Fakfak Airport has an area of 5,000 square meters (m2) which can accommodate up to 153,945 passengers per year. This airport is one of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) with a contract value of Rp. 832.5 billion on land and air side work. This Siboru Airport has a runway length of 1,600 meters x 30 meters and will become the main air transportation accommodation facility in Fakfak Regency to replace the previous airport facility, namely Torea Airport where Runway Length is only 1,200 meters x 30 meters and cannot be expanded anymore.

Along with increasing development in the Papua region and economic activities of the Papuan people, better transportation facilities are needed to be able to improve connectivity and open tourism potential.

In his remarks, President Joko Widodo said that Siboru Airport, located in Fakfak Regency, West Papua Province, could connect a number of other areas such as Sorong Regency, Kaimana Regency, to Teluk Bintuni Regency.

"This Siboru Airport will become an air bridge in the West Papua region, connecting Fakfak with other areas," he said.

The inauguration of Siboru Airport in Fakfak Regency added a portfolio of projects that have been completed by PTPP in Papua. Previously, PTPP had completed several projects such as the Holtekamp Bridge infrastructure project (Landmark Papua) in Jayapura in 2019, the LNG Resilient Project of the Liquid Natural Gas Refinery in 2020, Building Projects such as several sports facilities in Jayapura in 2020 2021, Jayapura State Finance Building in 2021, and the Papuan People's Assembly Building in Jayapura in 2022.

Currently, PTPP has a Wanggar Dam Project and an Irrigation Network in Nabire Regency which is currently ongoing with 11.23 percent progress as of October 2023, and has just received a new contract, namely the 50,000 DWT Capacity Pier Development Work Project located in Biak with a contract value of IDR 393 billion.

"Alhamdulillah, the project to work on the land side and air side facilities of Siboru Airport in Fakfak Regency has been completed, of course this project will increase the added value of PTPP's achievements in the construction of airports in Indonesia. Previously, PTPP had succeeded in building an airport with the fastest MURI record, namely New Yogyakarta International Airport in Kulonprogo and also several other airports such as Syamsuddin Noor Airport in Banjarmasin, and Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali," said Novel Arsyad, President Director of PTPP.

The success in building air transportation facilities projects will also add experience and competence to PTPP in building similar projects in the future. Currently, PTPP has projects that are currently underway in Papua such as Dams and Wanggar Irrigation which we will continue to monitor, and have just received a new contract, namely the 50,000 DWT pier construction project located in Biak. PTPP is proud to be able to contribute to the development of the Papua region and will continue to contribute to developing regions throughout Indonesia in order to improve the economy of the community and national competitiveness," he concluded.