Indonesian government to give preference to Japan for semi-high speed train

The Indonesian government will give preference to Japan to build a Jakarta-Surabaya semi-high speed train project, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said.

“Japan will receive preference,” he said after a coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs here Friday.

Despite receiving preference, Japan must continue to meet the qualifications set by the Indonesian government, Sumadi, one-time president director of state airport operator Angkasa Pura II, said.

He made it clear that at the coordination meeting with Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, National Development Planning Minister/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Head Bambang Brodjonegoro and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani the government decided to expedite the construction of the semi-high speed train project.

The government will soon complete a plan for the construction of semi-high speed train line and will discuss it with Japan in the next few months, he said.

Meanwhile, Bambang said at the meeting the government still had to assess the semi-high speed train project.

“We are still discussing and whether the project will use an ordinary loan scheme, government project, or private sector participation scheme,” he said.