Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – Ministry of State Enterprises said the management of Kualanamu International Airport by an Indian company is not a transfer of ownership but rather an attempt to compete with Changi Airport and KLIA, Malaysia as a regional hub.

Deputy Minister II BUMN Kartiko Wirjoatmodjo stated that the management of Kualanamu International Airport is a 25-year concession with international actors.

“Kualanamu Airport, [Sumatra Utara] owned by Angkasa Pura II, has carried out a very long and structured tendering process in which BPKP is also involved. The goal is not just to make Kualanamu Domestic airport, but it has developed into an international hub, “he explained to the DPR on Thursday (December 2nd, 2021).

According to him, the geographical location of the airport is very good. Meanwhile, the winner of the tender is GMR, the airport manager from India, whose shares belong to a small part of ADP from France.

Management by foreign investors will turn Kualanamu Airport into a hub to compete with Changi and KLIA.

“The flow of passengers from South Asia to North Asia and Australia runs temporarily in Changi and KLIA, while Kualanamu has and can have a large capacity enlarge become a world-class airport, “he explained.

GMR also confirmed that it will invest 56 trillion rupees to improve its quality and capacity, bringing passengers expected to reach 54 million.

Currently, the passenger capacity of Kualanamu Airport is only 10 million passengers. Therefore, Kartiko thought this agreement was very good as it was accompanied by the Ministry of State Enterprises and also by BPKP.

“This will be a strategic collaboration after a few years, if the quality of the airport is right it will be part of AP II again,” he said.

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