Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has opted to pursue budget efficiency by shelving the plan to construct a fourth terminal at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, which would have cost Rp14 trillion (USD888.4 million)."Our internal review has shown that terminal four was unnecessary. We only needed to incur Rp1 trillion (USD63.4 million) to make improvements at terminals 1, 2, and 3 to raise the airport's (annual) capacity to 80–100 million passengers," State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir explained.
Baca juga: BP Investasi Danantara diluncurkan Prabowo pada 8 November 2024
Speaking in Jakarta on Monday, he emphasized that the revitalization of Indonesia's largest and busiest aviation facility is a form of concrete support from his ministry for the advancement of the national tourism sector.
Support from state-run companies, including those in the aviation industry, is essential for Indonesia to accommodate tourists properly, he added. Thohir affirmed that the enterprises should work in an effective and efficient manner while utilizing their budgets prudently.
Baca juga: Berikut daftar susunan Komisaris dan Direksi Pertamina yang baru
He then underscored that his side is also committed to playing an active role in the development of national strategic projects to stimulate economic growth. Thohir revealed that the government is planning to expand the capacity of the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali province, which is among Indonesia's main entry points for foreign tourists.
"Through renovation, we aim to increase the airport's capacity from 24 million to 32 million passengers (annually) without building a new airport," he said.
The minister, however, informed that the government has not ruled out the possibility of constructing a new airport in Bali to help boost tourist arrivals in the province, which is also known as the Island of Gods.