"Rubber asphalt has been used to improve the quality of roads at several areas in Indonesia," PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono noted in a written statement received here, Friday.
Some of the roads using rubber asphalt comprise the Ciawi-Sukabumi Road, Karawang-Cikampek Road, Ajibarang-Banyumas-Klampok-Banjarnegara Road, and the border of Muara Beliti-Musi-Rawas-Tebing Tinggi-Lahat District Road.
Indonesia is the second-largest rubber producing country in the world after Thailand. Some 85 percent of the domestic rubber produced is still exported in the form of raw rubber, while the rest of the production is used for domestic consumption.
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Currently, the low demand for raw rubber exports has led to an oversupply and resulted in a decline in the national rubber prices.
To address this matter, the PUPR Ministry is looking at the potential of developing asphalt made from rubber in the infrastructure sector. The ministry processes rubber as an additional material for asphalt production to boost domestic rubber consumption.
Rubber asphalt has been used in various regions in Indonesia and proven to facilitate a sustainable, demonstrable period of road quality improvement as well as increase the level of asphalt resistance.
This week, the Indonesian Pavilion at the 2020 Dubai Expo will introduce the rubber asphalt invention for the transportation industry. The PUPR Ministry is eyeing potential investors interested in tapping the potential of rubber asphalt technology.
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Apart from rubber asphalt, the Indonesian Pavilion also showcases the ministry's support in the development of Five Super Priority Tourism Destinations (DPSP), a development program in eastern Indonesia that increases accessibility between regions and develops special areas.
The DPSP are part of the “10 New Bali” program launched by the government. The destinations included in the five DPSPs are Lake Toba, Borobudur Temple, Lombok-Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Likupang.
These five destinations have the potential to become new tourist attractions and develop the creative economic ecosystem for local residents.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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