Ahead Of The 42nd ASEAN Summit, Minister Of Transportation Budi Checks Transportation Readiness In Labuan Bajo

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi paid a working visit to Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province. His arrival was to directly check the readiness of transportation facilities and infrastructure there ahead of the 42nd ASEAN Summit (KTT) in May 2023.

A number of points reviewed are Komodo Airport, Marina Bay Pier, and Tourism Areas in Tana Mori as one of the activity points.

"I want to ensure that transportation facilities and infrastructure are ready to serve the mobility of leaders and delegates participating in the ASEAN Summit, both from and to Labuan Bajo and local mobility in Labuan Bajo," he said in an official statement, Wednesday, April 26.

Budi explained that a number of preparations have been made to support the smooth mobility of ASEAN Summit participants, including preparing operations and beautifying facilities at Komodo Airport and airports around Labuan Bajo such as Denpasar, Surabaya, Lombok, Kupang, and Jakarta.

Including, continued Budi, regulating capacity, parking stand planes, setting flight slots to and from Labuan Bajo, setting domestic and international channels, and also installing communication media as markers such as banners, backdrops, stickers and other communication media.

The Ministry of Transportation through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation will also increase the frequency of flights to and from Labuan Bajo one week before the core event to support the movement of committee mobility, event support stakeholders, and logistics.

"As well as adding personnel or human resources (HR) on duty at Komodo Airport," he said.

Furthermore, Budi said, the Directorate General of Land Transportation together with the Police and the NTT Provincial Transportation Service had prepared a number of traffic engineering to launch vehicle movements around the event area and within the event area.

In addition, the Ministry of Transportation has also added road safety facilities such as Public Road Lighting (PJU), guardrail, water barrier, detectors, signs and traffic markings.

"Then, provide 25 units of Hiace type buses with 30 driver crews as shuttle transportation for delegates, committees, and journalists, as well as building 3 bus stops," he said.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit will be attended by 11 ASEAN Countries (including Timor Leste), the ASEAN Secretariat and other state guests, with a total delegation of around 1,000 to 1,500 people.

"This is a good moment to introduce Labuan Bajo tourist destinations to invited guests from ASEAN countries and also the world. Hopefully, Indonesia's leadership in the ASEAN Summit can run smoothly and successfully as was the case when Indonesia was trusted to be the chairman of the G20 meeting last year in Bali," he concluded.