Govt to build 30 self-supporting integrated towns in border areas

"We have coordinated with the defense minister and the military chief because one of the objectives in constructing the KTMs is help defend and maintain security in the border areas," Soeparno said.

The KTMs would be built among other things in the border areas of Kerong, Merauke and Timika, in Papua, Soeparno said, adding that the government would also construct some other KTMs in a number of areas that share borders with Malaysia and Timor Leste.

In addition, he said, building the KTMs was a way to expedite development in the autonomous area and help overcome the unemployment problem, Soeparno said.

According to the minister, each KTM would be inhabited by at least 10,000 families. If one family consisted of four persons, it meant each KTM would have a population of 40,000.

Each KTM construction project was expected to absorb a work force of 60,000 people.
Previously, the government had built some 35 KTMs in a number of border area, he added.(*)