Prabowo Orders To Expand International Airport Network

Screenshot - President Prabowo Subianto while chairing a virtual limited meeting from his residence in Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, Friday (1/8/2025). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto ordered relevant ministries and institutions to expand the network of international airports in various regions.

This was conveyed when chairing a virtual limited meeting from his residence in Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, Friday, August 1, to evaluate the development of a number of ministry work programs in the Red and White Cabinet.

"The president ordered the opening of as many international airports as possible in various regions," said Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya as quoted by ANTARA.

According to Teddy, directives to expand the network of international airports in the area are to encourage the acceleration of economic turnover and tourism in the regions.

The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) has again designated three airports in Indonesia as international airports, namely Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport (Palembang), HAS Hanandjoeddin Airport (Bangka Belitung), and General Ahmad Yani Airport (Semarang).

Minister of Transportation, Dudy Purwagandhi, said that the reopening of international status was based on increased post-pandemic traffic and as a strategy to encourage economic growth, tourism, and religious activities.

In addition, the Governor of West Kalimantan (Kalbar) Ria Norsan also proposed to the central government through the Ministry of Transportation that flights on the Pontianak-Kuching route, Malaysia, be re-opened.

In the meeting which was held after Friday's service, the President also ordered the relevant authorities to prevent the potential for forest fires due to hot weather, as well as increase developments in the economic, agricultural and marine sectors.

Present at the event included Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Investment, Downstreaming/Head of BKPM Rosan Roeslani, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, to Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni.