TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Communications and Informatics Ministry has announced winners of Palapa Ring tender for west and central packages while the tender for east package is still in process. Fiber optic network for east package will cover East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, West Papua and Papua regions. The total length of the fiber optic cable is around 6,300 kilometers.
Communications and Informatics Minister Rudiantara said the biggest challenge for the east package is the inadequacy of transportation network in 20 rural areas in Papua. “But we will find a way,” he said on Tuesday, January 26, 2016.
According to Rudiantara, President Joko Widodo has instructed the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry to build roads in Papua. “We will ride on that project to install optic cables,” he said.
Last week, the Communications and Informatics Ministry has announced Palapa Ring tender winners for west and central regions worth US$230.64 million or around Rp31 trillion. The project is targeted to complete in late 2018 and begin operating in January 2019.
West package is won by Moratel-Triasmitra Consortium which consists of PT Moratelematika Indonesia with 90 percent and PT Ketrosden Triasmitra with 10 percent. This package covers Riau and Riau Islands with total cable length up tp 2,000 kilometers.
Central package is won by Pandawa Lima consortium which consists of PT LEN (51 percent), PT Teknologi Riset Global Investama (34 percent), PT Sufia Technologies (5 percent), PT Bina Nusantara Perkasa (5 percent) and PT Multi Kontrol Nusantara (5 percent). This package covers Kalimantan, Sulawesi and North Maluku with total cable length up to 2,700 kilometers.
Rudiantara said Palapa Ring will serve non-financially feasible regions for even telecommunication infrastructure and the government will provide guarantees up to 15 years for that.
Palapa Ring project will be implemented with Government-Enterprises Cooperation (KPBU) scheme which is based on Presidential Decree No. 38/2015 on Government Cooperation with Enterprises in Infrastructure Provision.
PINGIT ARIA
