Jokowi Visits Planned Construction Site for Cross-border Post

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi visited the planned site for the construction of the Sota Cross-border Post (PLBN) in Merauke, Papua, yesterday, November 16. The government planned to start the construction of PLBN Sota in January 2019.

The government has built seven border posts in Aruk, Badau, Entikong, Wini, Motaain, Motamasin, and Skouw, within four years. “It is time for us to start the PLBN Sota [construction] in January 2019,” said Jokowi as quoted by the Presidential Secretariat’s press release.

The president hoped that the cross-border post construction could drive the regional economy and local community. 

The seven cross-border posts are expected to be able to develop the border areas and improve the welfare of the local community. In West Kalimantan, there are PLBN Entikong, Badau and Aruk. There are PLBN Motaain, Motamasin, and Wini in East Nusa Tenggara, and PLBN Skouw in Jayapura, Papua. 

PLBN Sota will also be equipped with various supporting facilities such as immigration and quarantine posts. Jokowi also requested that the public market is built in PLBN Sota. 

The public market, said Jokowi, is a facility for the local community to develop their economy. He mentioned that the market in PLBN Skouw was visited by a lot of people on the weekend, including those from Papua New Guinea. “They visit to buy,” said President Jokowi.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI