Maluku Air Transportation Department chief John Rante said the Transportation Ministry has allocated Rp25 billion from the 2011 State Budget for the initial stages of the airport`s construction in Moa island.
"The first phase construction includes piling-up and cramming up to late in December 2011," John said.
He noted that the airport in Southwest Maluku, was expected to support the smooth air transportation there.
"The new airport will have a 1,400-m long runway," John said.
John admitted that Southwest Maluku which has been officially become from West Southeast Maluku (MTB) in September 2008, has only one small airport in Kisar island unable to meet the local people`s needs for air transportation.
At present, the airport in Kisar has links with Merpati Air from Ambon and Kuapng with scheduled flights of four days a week, in addition to pioneer boats from Ambon and Kupang but takes several days to reach Kisar, the tentative administrative center of MBD.
"Therefore we hope the new airport in Moa will be completed as soon as possible to enable the operation of another airline company such as Trigana Air with the capacity of 42 seats, besides Merpati Air," John said. (*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
