Indonesia Consulate General to push for flights from Sabah to Tarakan, Balikpapan
KOTA KINABALU: The Consulate General of The Republic of Indonesia Kota Kinabalu’s Consul General, Rafail Walangitan is hoping for the installation of direct flights from Kota Kinabalu or Tawau to Tarakan or Balikpapan.
“Why not?” he said when asked if they would push for it.
Tarakan and Balikpapan are located on the east coast of Kalimantan, also on Borneo Island, and among the closest gateway to the new Indonesia capital Nusantara from Sabah.
Media members who attended the Consulate General of The Republic of Indonesia Kota Kinabalu media gathering on Tuesday were informed that travellers arriving at Balikpapan only needs an hour of road travel to reach Nusantara.
Consul Lingga Setiawan informed reporters that the construction of the new Indonesian capital had progressed.
“The government administration building is over 40 per cent completed, while the President’s Palace and housing for 34 ministers are 60 per cent done,” Lingga said.
He said that the construction of the private sector such as hospitals and hotels had also begun, including the ground breaking for the new airport.
On February 6, this year, AirAsia will commence its thricea-week flight connecting Kota Kinabalu and Jakarta.
Meanwhile, its Consul for Immigration Affairs, Marwan Wardhana said Indonesians who are in Kota Kinabalu will be casting their votes on February 11, while those in Indonesia will be casting theirs on February 14.
He added that two venues have been selected as voting polling centres. They are the Consulate General’s office at Lorong Kemajuan Karamunsing and the Sekolah Indonesia Kota Kinabalu.
Marwan added that there are 98,669 voters in the Kota Kinabalu region which comprise of their citizens residing at the Sabah’s west coast and Sandakan.
For voters outside of the capital city, a total of 448 points will be set up from February 4 to 10 to allow them to cast their votes, he said.