Gov't Expected to Reopen Karimun Port Soon

TheIndonesia.id - Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has re-allowed sailing route from Karimun international port in Riau to Stulang Laut port in Malaysia, and Karimun port is expected to reopen soon to support water transport.

Head of Riau’s transportation office Junaidi said the request to reopen access from Karimun to Malaysia was submitted in late February, after the central government reopened international route from Bintan and Batam to Malaysia and Singapore.

However, despite the nod from the Ministry of Transportation, Karimun international port has yet to be reopened because directorate general of immigration hasn’t issued the necessary permit.

Junaidi said Riau provincial government is optimistic that the directorate general will soon re-allow international route from Karimun that will subsequently increase the number of incoming Malaysian tourists to the province.

“Hopefully, the permit will be issued soon, so the port can start operating,” he predicted.

He also explained that since ports in Bintan and Batam reopened, a number of adjustments have been made to the applicable regulation in order to boost tourist arrivals. PCR test, for example, is no longer mandatory for Singaporean and Malaysian tourists at Bandar Bentan Telani port in Bintan as well as Batam Centre, Harbour Bay, and Nongsa port in Batam.

Head of Riau’s tourism office Buralimar also hoped that the directorate general of immigration will soon issue permit for Karimun port because Ramadan and Idul Fitri holiday is deemed as the right opportunity to gain as much tourists from neighbor countries.

“This fasting month and Idul Fitri is the right moment to increase visits considering emotional ties between people in Malaysia and in Karimun, Tanjungpinang, Batam, and Bintan. A lot of Malaysians have relatives that live in Riau Islands, so they will pay a visit ahead of Lebaran after not meeting for two years,” Buralimar said.