Prabowo Holds Large Infrastructure Project, Toll Road Construction Stopped?

Member of BPJT Elements of stakeholder Sony Sulaksono Wibowo. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

The Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) of the Ministry of Public Works (PU) has ensured that new toll road projects that have not yet run will be temporarily postponed following instructions from President Prabowo Subianto to stop a number of major projects.

"There were instructions and President Prabowo at that time to stop several major projects. Well, the toll road was also affected, but what we will hold first, what we will stop first, are projects that have not yet been running," said Member of BPJT Elements of Interest Sony Sulaksono Wibowo in Media Gathering Nataru 2024/2025 Astra Infra Group in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 17.

Sony said the toll road project that has entered the construction, auction, and feasibility study (FS) stages will continue.

The statement was made in response to information developing in the public regarding the possibility that all toll road projects would be stopped in the era of Prabowo Subianto's leadership.

Sony ensures that projects that already have a work contract will not be affected by the policy of delaying new projects.

"Because there are concerns that all toll roads will stop. No. We will continue with those that have contracted," he said.

According to Sony, the toll road project that will only be temporarily suspended aims to evaluate the government's financial strength, in this case in the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) by 2025.

"The whole thing is new, that's what we might hold back first. Because we want to see financial power in 2025," he said.

However, said Sony, for business entities interested in submitting unsolicited projects with their own funding, the government still opens up opportunities.

Furthermore, Sony specifically said that Astra Infra is an example of a non-BUMN business entity that has a good reputation in toll road management.

Therefore, the government invited Astra to participate in the toll project auction.

"If there are friends of business entities, which are unsolicited, we will still welcome them," he concluded.

Previously, the Minister of Public Works (PU) said that the government's 2025 infrastructure budget was detained by the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

This was based on the direction of President Prabowo Subianto.

"So, actually we (for the project) in 2025 just have to work, right. However, because of the direction of the President (Prabowo Subianto), then all the main budgets related to temporary infrastructure in the star (detained) first," said Dody to reporters at the PU Ministry office, Jakarta, Monday, November 18.

Dody said that the budget detention was waiting for the inter-ministerial / institution to sit down together to plan development.

"We have to re-discuss with all stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Bappenas, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Religion, and others, so that later any program that is charged to us to work on has indeed been discussed carefully with related institutions," he said.

According to him, currently the budget in the Ministry of Public Works will be focused on running the astacita program made by President Prabowo Subianto, especially related to food security and so on.

"Actually, we need to talk again with the President (Prabowo). Informing him that all of our ministries have spoken and these are indeed his priority programs," he said.