REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MOROTAI -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to inaugurate five seaports in the eastern region of Indonesia to support the sea toll road program.
President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana left Morotai Islands for Halmahera District, North Maluku Province, aboard the Indonesian Air Force's CN-295 aircraft on Wednesday morning.
The five seaports are Tobelo, Galela, Tutu Kembong, Wonreli, and Teor.
The inauguration ceremony would be centered at Tobelo seaport in North Halmahera.
After the inauguration, President Jokowi is scheduled to hand over social allowances for the Hopeful Family Program, as well as to the holders of the Cards of Social Assistance for Severe Disabled, Social Assistance for Seniors, Indonesian Smart Cards, and Prosperous Rice Program in Galela Sub-district.
Earlier, President Jokowi stated that the government had planned to subsidize sea toll transportation to fulfill the transportation needs of the people living in remote areas.
"The ticket price should not be expensive. It is better to subsidize the ticket price, so that the people can utilize the facility," the president noted in his speech during the opening of Wasior Port, West Papua, on Tuesday.
The sea toll transportation program will boost connectivity in Indonesia, particularly to unite the nation from Sumatra to Papua.
Jokowi stated that the government had built several ports in the outer regions of Indonesia to uphold the country's maritime sovereignty.
The president remarked that with the implementation of the sea toll lines program, the Indonesian people would be able to utilize this mode of transportation to travel to the motherland.
He pointed out that the authority had been operating the three sea toll routes since last year. In 2016, Jokowi plans to add six sea toll routes.
Jokowi stated that the government was also targeting to complete the construction or expansion of 27 ports in Indonesia.
The government plans to add 68 ports by the end of 2016 across several provinces including in Papua, Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi.
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