The Necessity of Indonesia Super Fast Train Still Largely Debated

Liputan6.com, Jakarta President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has just recently paid a diplomatic visitation to China where he signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

One of the major agreements incude the construction of super fast train linking Jakarta to Bandung and vice versa.

The Chairman of the Indonesian Trade and Industry sector, Suryo Bambang Sulistio informed how the development of such super train will ultimately contribute to the effective mobility and logistic system in Indonesia, especially if the distance is extended.

"Surely this will help mobilizing our people and goods. And it can help us fix our logistic system," Bambang shared on forum discussion with the theme 'Assessing president Joko Widodo's Visit to Japan and China' at SCTV Tower, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday (1/4/2015). 

Despite the growing optimism, Suryo thinks the building of such fast train is not one of the current priorities. 

According to him, the already present trains in Indonesia are quite effective and efficient and they only need to be upgraded once or twice to support the mobilizing of people, goods and logistics.

"But does Indonesia really need it? Right now, our trains speed is 80 kilometre per hour, a faster one will take it 350 km per hour. 

But without it and with just a normal upgrade, it could still support the mobilizing process," he continued.

Apart from that, the funds needed for the construction is viewed to be largely too expensive. Surely this counts as one of the challenges for the construction to occur. This of course is under the government’s consideration. (Akp/Ein)