Malaysia Prepares Borneo Water Flying To Kalimantan, Ministry Of Transportation: Just Discussed

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

BOGOR - The Ministry of Transportation has spoken about the plan of a new airline from Sarawak, Malaysia, Air Borneo, which is exploring the opening of international routes to Indonesia, particularly to a number of cities in Kalimantan, including the capital city of Nusantara (IKN).

Secretary of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Achmad Setiyo Prabowo, confirmed that the government had received investment proposals from the company. However, he said, until now there has been no official document stating that they are serious about opening international routes.

"If the assessment is indeed yes. But until now there has been no formal one, there is no formal legal one. Just discussions," he said in Media Gathering Angkasa Pura Indonesia, in Bogor, Thursday, December 11.

Setiyo said Air Borneo is targeting international routes that connect Sarawak with various areas in Kalimantan. Apart from IKN, a number of other airports on the island are also included in the radar for route development.

"The point is that he wants to open a route that way (Kalimantan), not only IKN, but to several airports in Kalimantan, he also wants to increase the frequency," he said.

For your information, previously the IKN Authority received a visit from the Minister of Transportation of Sarawak, YB Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, to discuss opportunities for cross-sectoral cooperation, ranging from transportation, health, education to culture.

In the transportation sector, the Sarawak government is preparing the launch of Air Borneo's new airline in January. The airline is designed to connect Sarawak with a number of cities on Borneo Island, including opening a direct route to the archipelago.

Minister of Transportation Sarawak, YB Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the increase in air connectivity is expected to be a new economic driver as the plan to operate Nusantara International Airport as a commercial airport.

We are on the same island in Borneo. We are very interested in the development of this archipelago, this is the future. Together in Borneo, we are proud that later the whole world will come to Nusantara. Apart from air transportation, we are also reviewing the construction of a railway line connecting three countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam," he said.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the IKN Authority, Bimo Adi Nursanthyasto, positively welcomed the opportunity and highlighted the importance of increasing regional connectivity.

Soon Nusantara Airport will operate as a commercial airport. This will facilitate mobility from and to IKN. If the three-state railway line is realized, the Southeast Asian economy will move faster," he said.

In addition to transportation, both parties also discussed health cooperation through strengthening hospital facilities and medical research, as well as opportunities for cultural collaboration between Sarawak and the Nusantara area which has serumpun roots.