"I highly laud the initiative to build the APT Pranoto Airport by the local administration. The central government only offered a small percentage of budgetary support, and I will use this as a role model for other regions," President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi as he is popularly known, stated at the inauguration of Maratua Airport and APT Pranoto Airport here on Thursday.
President Jokowi pointed out that people had begun discussing the economic potential in regions outside Java, and new economic enclaves had started to spring up in the regions.
"Airports, ports, and toll roads are important for connectivity," he remarked, adding that the infrastructure would not only be important for the regions` economy but also for inter-regional connectivity.
The cost to construct the APT Pranoto Airport amounted to Rp1.8 trillion, most of which came from the provincial budget and only Rp200 billion was from the state budget.
The airport`s terminal has an area of 12,700 square meters that can accommodate 1.5 million passengers per year and a 36,342 square-meter hangar.
Jokowi has ordered his aides to expand the terminal and within the next two weeks could start flights to Jakarta and Surabaya.
Reporting by Hanni Sofia
Editing by Sri Haryati
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Yosep Hariyadi
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
