JAKARTA. The government has earmarked Rp 6.2 trillion (US$507.36 million) to finance the construction of 165 airports in cities across the country next year.

Bambang Tjahjono, director of airports at the Transportation Ministry, said around 60 percent of the amount would be channeled for airport construction in the eastern part of the country.

“The remaining amount will be used to build airports in border areas and regions prone to natural disasters,” Bambang added as quoted by kontan.co.id on Sunday. Santoso Eddy Wibowo, secretary-general and acting director of air transportation at the Ministry, meanwhile, said the Rp 6.2 trillion would go more toward the finishing processes of airport construction.

Earlier, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said that the government would not limit the development of new airports in regions across the country despite the fact that seven out of 13 airports under the management of state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II, which focuses its services on the western part of the country, were still suffering losses.

The seven airports are Depati Amir in Pangkal Pinang, Kuala Namu in Medan, Minangkabau in Padang, Raja Haji Fisabilillah in Tanjung Pinang, Sultan Iskandar Muda in Aceh, Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II in Palembang and Sultan Thaha in Jambi.

Workers conduct final checks at the Jombang Gate on the Bandar Kedungmulyo-Jombang toll road in Jombang, East Java, on Sunday. The 14.7-kilometer road, which is part of the Mojokerto-Kertosono toll road, will be opened on Monday. Tweet

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie