Accompanying Jokowi, Erick Thohir Flies To Makassar To Check The Development Program For SOE Vital Projects

SOE Minister Erick Thohir. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir left for Makassar, South Sulawesi, to accompany President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to check the BUMN vital project development program there.

As is known, Jokowi plans to inaugurate Makassar New Port (MNP) and the port toll road. The inauguration will take place on Thursday, February 22.

Erick said MNP is one of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) to accelerate the growth of Eastern Indonesia which was given directly by the President in 2021. This project was able to be completed by the Ministry of SOEs according to the specified time.

Erick said that the construction of the two national strategic projects was carried out collaboratively with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of PUPR.

"Alhamdulillah, we at the Ministry of SOEs were able to complete the assignment given by the President according to the target time," he said in an official statement, Wednesday, February 21.

Furthermore, Erick hopes that Makassar New Port will be able to play an important role for the surrounding industry, as well as become the eastern Indonesian hub.

Makassar and the progress of Eastern Indonesia are determined by the port. In the history of Makassar's development, from hundreds of years ago it was a port, therefore I hope that the inauguration of this port will provide great blessings for Makassar," he said.

Not only that, Erick also said that the construction of the 3.2 km Makassar New Port Toll Road which is connected to ports in Makassar City is expected to increase the competitiveness of industrial estates and reduce logistics costs or distribution of goods and services between regions.

The construction of the Makassar New Port Toll Road is part of the central government PSN carried out by the Ministry of PUPR through the Toll Road Business Entity. The land acquisition for this project was carried out by PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo).

Makassar New Port's new port is an expansion of the MNP Phase 1B and 1C piers which have an area of 1,280 square meters. MNP was built by PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) on a total area of 52 hectares to support economic growth in eastern Indonesia. MNP was built by absorbing an investment of IDR 10 trillion.