We hope that these facilities can provide a good service for the athletes and officials as well as support PON as a wholeJakarta (ANTARA) - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi inspected several transportation facilities and infrastructure prepared for the XX National Sports Week (PON) and National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) XVI in Papua on Saturday.
In an online statement, which was accessed from here on Saturday, he said the review was conducted to ensure the readiness of these facilities and infrastructure for the participating athletes and officials.
Sumadi highlighted that the Transportation Ministry, along with other stakeholders, has prepared a number of facilities and infrastructures for transportation on land, sea, and air.
For land transport, the ministry has dispatched 428 bus units to three locations in Papua PON XX—Jayapura, Timika, and Merauke, he informed.
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The ministry has also prepared 515 bus crews, the minister said. Of them, 261 drivers have been recruited from Papua province as part of efforts to empower Papuan natives and provide them jobs, he added.
Throughout PON, the buses will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time to serve PON XX athletes and officials, Sumadi informed.
To support the Peparnas XVI in Papua, around 160 bus units will be modified with on/off ramps for the convenience of Peparnas athletes using wheelchairs, he said.
The ministry has also built a number of facilities for the event: a pier and two airbus units, which will be operated in Sentani Lake; road equipment; a Type A Entrop Terminal in Jayapura; and an Area Traffic Control System (ATCS) in Jayapura.
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For sea transport, around five Indonesian National Shipping (Pelni) ships have been prepared to carry goods for the events such as banners, poles, and vehicles, the minister informed. The five ships are MV Labobar, MV Gunung Dempo, MV Ciremai, MV Dobonsolo, and MV Sinabung, he said.
For air transport, the ministry has prepared four airports: Sentain Airport in Jayapura, Mozes Kilanging Airport in Timika, Domine Eduard Airport in Sorong, and Mopah Airport in Merauke, Sumadi said.
He advised district heads to take care of these facilities since they can help support tourism in Papua.
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During a visit to Jayapura, the minister reviewed a number of facilities, starting from buses, the Jayapura Harbour, KM Tidar Pelni ship, Hamadi Stadium, Papua Trade Center Entrop (PTC), and Ponton Harbour.
He also reviewed several Papua PON XX supporting facilities in Merauke such as the Mopah Merauke Airport, Katalpal Merauke Stadium, and Merauke Harbor.
"We hope that these facilities can provide a good service for the athletes and officials as well as support PON as a whole," Sumardi remarked.
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After the PON XX is over, these facilities can improve the quality of transportation in Papua, he said.
He also suggested that the PeduliLindungi application be implemented in Jayapura to ensure that all visitors have been vaccinated and undergone a PCR test.
"I believe that Papua can carry out the PON XX well," he affirmed.
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Translator: Adimas Fahky P, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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