DPRD: Minangkabau International Airport Downgraded To National Airport Is A Loss For West Sumatra

PADANG - Chairman of the West Sumatra DPRD Supardi stated that if Minangkabau International Airport (BIM) becomes one of the airports affected by the reduction in international airport status it will be a big loss for the province.

"This BIM is a gateway for Malaysian tourists who come to visit W Sumatra. Apart from that, the airport is also the airport used by our brothers from Bengkulu and Jambi during the Hajj season," he said in Padang as reported by ANTARA, Sunday, February 12.

Supardi said that West Sumatra had declared that it would be visited by 8.2 million tourists with the 2023 'Visit Beautiful West Sumatra (VBWS)' program, so of course it would be very impactful if this airport experienced a decline in status.

According to him, the losses suffered by West Sumatra occurred in the trade and tourism sectors, therefore his side will invite the West Sumatra Provincial Government (Pemprov) to sit together to take strategic steps so that the status of this airport remains an international airport.

"We will try to discuss approaches and lobbies, of course with the consequence that BIM must meet standards according to international level airports," continued Supardi.

In addition, the BIM which is located in Padang Pariaman Regency was made for an international airport according to the direction of the central government at that time and if only for the national airport at that time, there was already Tabing Airport in Padang City.

"If the status goes down, of course, we won't move the airport to BIM because Tabing Airport is in the city center," said Supardi.

The same thing was said by Deputy Chairman of the West Sumatra DPRD Irsyad Safar. The decline in BIM status is called a setback for W Sumatra, especially since international flights have just reopened.

He wants to confirm the news first and only then take strategic steps that can be taken with the West Sumatra Provincial Government to maintain the status of an international airport.

Previously, the West Sumatra Provincial Government was still waiting for technical instructions regarding plans to reduce the international status for a number of airports according to the agreement between the Ministry of BUMN and the Ministry of Transportation.

Head of the W Sumatra Transportation Agency, Dedy Diantolani, said that his party had not yet received information about the status of the Minangkabau International Airport (BIM), whether or not it was included in the plan.

"We are still waiting for the continuation of this plan," he said.

Dedy said that the position of the West Sumatra Provincial Government was actually ready to accept policies from the center regarding the status of BIM going forward. This is in line with the previous statement by the Governor of W Sumatra, Mahyeldi.

"If for example, the central government decides for the Sumatra region only one Kualanamu Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, which remains an international airport, we will remain ready," he said.

Previously Minister of BUMN Erick Thohir said he would cut the number of international airports from 32 to 14 or 15 in Indonesia, according to a policy which was an agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation and approved by President Joko Widodo in order to increase domestic movement and increase the mobility of domestic tourist trips.