MINISTER PROMISES BETTER QUALITY CONSTRUCTION WORKS IN 2009

Jakarta, Jan 9(ANTARA) - Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto has promised that quality of construction works during 2009 would be better compared to that of the last year, so that further failure in construction works could be avoided.

"In the future, inspectorate general, research and development division of public works ministry will take part in supervising several projects in a bid to maintain the good quality works," the minister said in his early remarks in 2009.

The minister said he took lessons from a case of bridge construction collapse in Surabaya, East Java last year causing one of the construction workers killed.

He added that the 28 meter long bridge was built at a cost of 500 million rupiah.

"I have sent a team to cooperate with the Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS) in effort to know the bridge construction failure case," the minister said.

According to the minister, he had instructed the inspectorate general, research and development division to involve in supervising the construction activities so that the building works could be completed on time with a standard quality.

As part of efforts to maintain the quality, Minister Djoko Kirmanto said he had issued a ministerial decree no.6/2008 dealing with the intensive supervision at all levels.

In addition, police have been investigating the last year's bridge collapse accident.

On another occasion, Djoko Kirmanto said that the ministry with this year's 34,9 trillion budget would be able to absorb 1.1 million manpowers.