Government Decides New KRL Imports, SOE Minister Submits Budget To Sri Mulyani

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir said he would propose a budget to import new electric rail trains (KRL) to the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani.

As is known, the government decided to import new KRL compared to used imports from Japan.

This decision was taken after holding a coordination meeting with related parties.

The meeting was attended by the Ministry of SOEs, the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Financial Supervisory Agency, the Ministry of Trade, and Development (BPKP).

"Alhamdulillah, if it's new, it's better in theory. Now it's just a matter of what kind of capital. The results of this meeting will certainly be submitted to the Ministry of Finance, so that there can be a solution," he told reporters at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday, June 26.

Erick said the government's basic reason for importing a series of trains was because it was only to meet the needs of train users because PT Industri Kereta Api (Persero) or INKA had not been able to supply trains at this time.

Meanwhile, continued Erick, the surge in passenger demand for mass transportation was very high.

"The most important thing is that the maximum public service, under the dynamics of increasing train passengers is high," he said.

On the other hand, Erick admitted that the production of the train took a long time.

Therefore, INKA takes up to three years to be able to meet KCI's request.

Even so, Erick ensured that INKA could distribute requests for a series of trains for the next few years.

Erick also admitted that he continued to encourage INKA to expand its production capacity.

"Number one PT INKA must be boosted to the required carriage production. PT INKA has quality," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan revealed the reason why the government decided to import a new trainset or train series.

Luhut explained that the cancellation of the former KRL import plan from Japan was carried out because it had the potential to violate three rules.

The rules in question are Presidential Regulation (Perpres), rules at the Ministry of Industry, and at the Ministry of Transportation.

Used goods because it violated three rules, one Presidential Decree, the second industry and the third from the Ministry of Transportation. Therefore, yesterday's meeting we asked the previous 4 days to take steps so as not to be disturbed. And it turns out that it can, "he said, at KCIC Halim Station, Jakarta, Thursday, June 22.