TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The establishment of Toba Lake Authority has been agreed in a meeting attended by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), a number of ministers, Acting Governor of North Sumatera and seven regents around Toba Lake area.

“Seven regents have signed [the agreement]; we will establish an agency or authority of Toba Lake area,” said President Jokowi in a press conference after the meeting at Surya Niagara Prapat Simalungun Hotel, North Sumatera, Tuesday, March 1, 2016.

The President said that the agency or authority will manage licensing at Toba Lake with an area of around 500 hectares.

“The authority will be responsible for licensing. All regents have agreed [on it],” the President said.

The president expressed that the meeting is a final discussion on the development of Lake Toba tourist area.

“The discussion began in August 2015, followed up with a number of limited meetings and we had previously held a meeting with the governor and regents. We held another meeting with seven regents today,” President Jokowi said.

The President said that all have agreed to develop tourism sector of Lake Toba area.

“The meeting is titled ‘United for Lake Toba’ because it relates with seven districts. If they are not united, it would be difficult,” President Jokowi said.

According to the President, they will build Silangit Airport in April 2016 and expect to complete it in September or at the end of 2016.

The airport will be at 2,650 meter length to accomodate large aircraft such as Boeing. Large airport terminal will also be built. Adequate infrastructure is expected to increase the number of national and foreign tourists year by year.

“A number of hotels will also be built at several areas. It is expected that better facilities would attract more national and foreign tourists with differentiation, branding, and better promotion. We believe that it could be a decent destination both for national and foreign tourists,” President Jokowi said.

In the event, President Jokowi was accompanied by, among others, Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut B Pandjaitan, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono and Acting Governor of North Sumatera Tengku Erry Nuradi.

Seven regents who attended the meeting are Dairi Regent KRA Johnny Sitohang Adinogoro, Simalungun Regent Binsar Situmorang, Samosir Regent Rapidin Simbolon, Humbang Hasundutan Regent Dosmar Bamjarnahor, Toba Samosir Regent Darwin Siagian, Karo Regent Terkelin Brahmana and North Tapanuli Regent Nikson Nababan.

ANTARA