INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS SHOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO PEOPLE

Jakarta, July 3 (ANTARA) - Various infrastructure projects in the country should give as much benefit to the people as possible, Coordinating Minister for Economy Sri Mulyani Indrawati said here on Friday.

"Lest the infrastructure projects less beneficial to the people," Sri Mulyani said at a function to install three officials of Asahan Authority Board and Suramadu Areal Development Executive Board.

The three officials the minister installed were Tengku Azwar Aziz as the secretary of Asahan Authority Board, Suramadu Areal Development Executive Board chief Eddy Purwanto, and deputy chief Junaedi Mahendra.

Referring to Asahan Authority project which has been in operation since 1983, the coordinating minister for economy said it was a cooperation project between the government of Indonesia and 12 investors from Japan.

"The cooperation will come to an end in 2013 and therefore the Authority's performance should be improved to ensure the continuity of the project after the end of the cooperation," Sri Mulyani said.

She said various beneficial options without ignoring the investors interest should be studied.

"The Asahan Authority is also responsible to manage the environmentally-related funds allocated from the sale of domestic aluminum to maintain environmental conservation and to improve the welfare of people living around Lake Toba and Asahan River," Sri Mulyani said.

Meanwhile, she reminded the officials of Suramadu Areal Development Executive Board that there were a number of priorities that they should complete in one year.

She said the officials should arrange the master plan of Suramadu facility and infrastructure, prepare cooperation concept with the corporation in the Suramadu toll road management, and speed up the corporation that would manage the Suramadu bridge.

"Suramadu bridge is unique and therefore it needs better management in the field," Sri Mulyani said, adding that the board was also responsible to arrange the plan of areal use, including the construction of container terminal.