TEMPO.CO, Surabaya - The President of South Korea Park Geun-hye, was said to be interested in funding the Sunda Strait Bridge (JSS) mega project. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa, said that President Park Geun-Hye specifically said that the government of South Korea was able to fund the Rp 200 trillion (around US$ 17,6 billion) project.
However, Hatta is yet to provide an official answer to the offer because he claimed to have doubts over the result of the feasibility test.
"I'm not sure JSS will be built in 2014," said Hatta at the Surabaya National University campus on Sunday, 13 October.
He asserted that the commitment of the South Korean President was a follow up on the Jeju Initiative 2012 agreement. Hatta explained that in the initiative, Indonesia and South Korea are proposing large scale projects to each other, which will then be summarized into a priority project.
In addition to the JSS project, South Korea is also ready to build a special economic zone (KEK) in Indonesia and develop infrastructures for coal trains that connect South Sumatera and Bengkulu. The projects are parts of seven business deals signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
DIANANTA P. SUMEDI
