Deputy Minister Of SOEs: After 100 Years, Finally We Use Our Own-made Trains

Deputy Minister of SOEs Kartika Wirjoatmodjo. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Kartika Wirjoatmodjo said Indonesia can now operate homemade trains.

He said, made by PT Industri Kereta Api (Persero) or INKA as a gift of 100 years of KRL operations.

The man who is familiarly called Tiko explained that so far the KRL network in Indonesia has used a series of used ones from Japan.

However, slowly Indonesia carried out a transformation in the railway sector.

Tiko added that Indonesia no longer imports used fleets, this time the imported KRL is a new fleet of Chinese producers, CRRC Qingdao Sifang.

In addition, Indonesia has also succeeded in making new local-made trains from INKA.

For your information, KRL first operated during the Dutch East Indies administration on April 6, 1925.

The routes served include Tanjung Priok-Jatinegara. But now, the Commuter Line KRL network has spread to various buffer cities of DKI Jakarta as well as the Yogyakarta-Solo route.

"Now we are transforming, if we usually use the ex- train (frame) from Japan, now we use a new train where later there will be a train from CRRC Sifang to a new train from China and later what we are most proud of is the new train made by INKA, Madiun," he said in the 100th anniversary of KRL, at Jakarta Kota Station, Tuesday, April 22.

"After 100 years, we finally use domestic trains. So this is extraordinary if on the 100th anniversary of KRL we will start operating trains made by the nation's children," he continued.

Tiko also asked INKA President Director, Eko Purwanto to ensure the quality of the new local fleet. He hopes that the new INKA KRL series will not be less competitive with production from China or from Japan.

"So this is an honor for all of us. Of course we hope and this is also a demand for Pak Eko and the INKA train team to be equal in terms of performance, quality, and comfort with trains that have existed previously from Japan and from China," said Tiko.

For your information, currently the train made by INKA is entering the trial period to operate in the Jabodetabek area.

Before starting to transport passengers, the new fleet must go through an assessment from the Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation (DJKA).