Indonesia in Trouble Building High-Speed Railway

No skin off my nose - no, I'm not saying that, it seems quite alike though. I'm Nathan Shiga and today I write an episode on what is happening to the high-speed railway China contracted a month ago in Indonesia.

Of course, you folks remember how China outbid Japan in a high-speed railway bid in Indonesia just a month ago. There was quite a talk in Japan then about China offering outrageous terms just to outbid Japan. What a heck, it's business. But then......

A month later, something many had anticipated is happening. The project is stuck; nothing is happening. The authorities wouldn't give it a go on grounds of some paper either missing or incomplete.The Jakartans are voicing anxieties over the entire plan of ever building a high-speed railways in Indonesia.

If the plan goes right, the Indonesians are supposed to have a direct high-speed railway over the distance of 140 km between the capital city of Jakarta and Bandung. The Indonesian government picked China on account its assurance of no financial burdens on Indonesia's part and two years shorter period of construction -3 against 5.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held on January 21 and a month later today, February 21, no ground is yet broken on account of some paper work. The Indonesian Ministry of Transport is withholding approval as of this day. It is reported that the construction plan is complete only for 5 kilometers of 140 and that particulars are missing on three zones of active faulting along the route.

The ministry is adamant on its position and insists necessary data be provided for the plan to be approved.The joint venture commissioned to undertake the work insists China's technological expertise being of the world's top level. The local media sounds dubious about the project's future.

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