Deputy Minister Of Finance Suahasil Calls Toll Road Projects To Have A Series Of Impacts On The Economy

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara stated that the construction of toll roads that are included in the national strategic project (PSN) will have a multiplier effect for the community who owns the land that will be used for the economy.

"I see the payment of profit compensation to the community, the relinquishment of rights so that the land can be used for our toll roads. We hope this (toll road) can increase community activities," said Suahasil as quoted by Antara, Thursday, August 25.

Suahasil said that the construction of the toll road project itself requires the participation of the people who own land in the project area.

When the community is willing to give up their land to support the realization of the toll road project, the government will ensure the rights that land owners deserve.

"We need land and part of it has an owner. So the rights of the owner must be respected by giving compensation for profit," said Suahasil.

One of the processes for paying compensation for land owners is carried out by the State Asset Management Institute (LMAN) to the community in Purwomartani Village, Sleman, Yogyakarta.

The people of Purwomartani Village receive compensation for the payment of their land along with the government which is building the Solo-Yogyakarta-Kulonprogo toll road project.

The Solo-Yogyakarta-Kulonprogo toll road section has a length of 96.57 kilometers which will be developed in three stages, namely the first 49.25 kilometers for the Solo-Purwomartani section.

Of the approximately 7,800 land parcels that will be acquired for phase I, there are 3,300 land parcels that have been acquired or 45 percent.

While the second phase is 38.13 kilometers long, namely the SS Purwomartani-JC Sleman section and the third phase is 8.75 kilometers long for the JC Sleman-Purworejo section.

For the payment of profit compensation to the people of Purwomartani Village, it will reach Rp. 401 billion which includes 272 plots of land with gradual realization.

So far, the people of Purwomartani Village have received payments from LMAN of IDR 190.6 billion for more than 70 plots of land.

According to Suahasil, this payment leads to compensation, not compensation, considering that the value given by LMAN has been calculated in detail and in accordance with the rights that should be obtained by the community.

“Land owners receive compensation after receiving an independent assessment to ascertain the value of the land. This is a reasonable value so it should not harm the land owner,” he explained.

Not only land owners, said Suahasil, the construction of the toll road will also benefit the workers because it will automatically create job opportunities which in this project are carried out by PT Jogjasolo Marga Makmur (JMM).

“The ones who benefit are Indonesian workers. There must be a lot of people who work directly under PT JMM as well as workers who become suppliers,” he said.

He added that the construction of the toll road would also stimulate the economic activity of the surrounding community as well as improve connectivity.

"We hope that this toll road can be built on time so that in time it can be used by the general public," said Suahasil.