Indonesia to go ahead with Dumai-Melaka Roro ferry project to increase connectivity

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government is emphasising the need to implement the roll-on/roll-off (Roro) ferry service project between Dumai in Riau province and Melaka, Malaysia.

The project will increase the connectivity of economic corridors under the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), President Joko Widodo said.

In a statement, he said this is in line with Indonesia’s priority in building physical connectivity, such as ports, airports, and toll roads, including Trans-Sumatra stretching across Sumatra Island.

Joko Widodo, more affectionately known as Jokowi, announced this on the sidelines of the Asean Summit held during the 14th IMT-GT Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Thursday.

Riau province and the Melaka government are reportedly reopening the discussion on the continuity of the Dumai-Malacca Roro ferry project, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Riau governor H. Syamsuar and Melaka Tourism, Heritage, and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis held the discussion in May this year.

Jokowi said speeding up physical connectivity will help the subregion’s economic growth and vision to become an integrated, innovative, inclusive and sustainable sub-region by 2036.

The tourism sector also needs to be revitalised through digital marketing, sustainable tourism development, and the launch of the IMT-GT Visit Year 2023-2025 initiative.

While halal tourism continues to be developed, he said, the sub-region must identify the right green economy opportunity to achieve sustainable energy development, as stated in the Green City Development Framework 2019-2036. - BERNAMA