State Repairs Damage Caused by Lapindo
Wednesday, 06 December, 2006 | 17:28 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government will once again use state cash for handling the mudflow of Lapindo Brantas Inc at Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java.

The Working Meeting between Transportation Minister Hatta Radjasa and Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto with the Infrastructure Commission at DPR yesterday agreed that the project for repairing transportation facilities due to the Lapindo mudflow will be financed by the Revised State Budget (RAPBN) 2007 and State Budget (APBN) 2008.

DPR Budget Committee last week approved of using disaster funds in the State Budget 2006 for helping victims of the Lapindo mudflow.

The improvement of transportation facilities include extension of artery roads at Surabaya valued at Rp168 billion and the shift of the rail track around the mudflow valued at Rp275 billion.

Minister Djoko said that the financing of artery roads will be partly handled by the Revised State Budget 2007. “We will give the other half next year (APBN 2008),” he said after a meeting at the parliamentary complex yesterday (12/5).

Concerning the rail track relocation funds, Minister Hatta proposed that the government immediately disburse the funds from allocations next year. The reason is that hampering the Porong rail track has threatened national economics. The length of rail track that is threatened by the mudflow is 600 meters—connecting Tanggulangin, Porong, trans-Surabaya and Bangil. “In the long term, it will not be possible without relocation,” he said.

In the meeting, a quarrel on fund usage occurred. The commission refuted toll roads for Surabaya-Gempol toll roads at the Porong-Gempol section. “The Commission has asked that the government clarifies the status of Lapindo,” said Head of Commission Ahmad Muqowwam in the meeting.

A politician of the Prosperous Justice Party Abu Bakar al-Habzi also emphasized that the government must ask for Lapindo's accountability first. “How is Lapindo's capability?” he said.

Economic analyst Faisal Basri has evaluated that DPR's decision was not right. According to him, the financing of the Surabaya artery road should be taken from APBN 2008 or disaster funds. Earlier, the government must decide first who will be responsible for every injury. “This can be basic for the government's decision in the future,” he said.

Rieka Rahadiana | Harun Mahbub