KUCHING: The Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching, Raden Sigit Witjaksono, concludes his three-year tenure at the end of April and will return to Jakarta on May 1.
In recognition of his contributions, Sarawak’s Minister for Transport, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, received Raden Sigit Witjaksono in a courtesy call at his office today to express appreciation for his contributions during his service in Sarawak.
“Pak Raden has been instrumental in strengthening cross-border cooperation between Sarawak and West Kalimantan, especially in the area of transportation,” said Dato Sri Lee during the meeting on Friday.
He said, under Raden Sigit Witjaksono’s tenure, key transport initiatives were revived and proposed, including the reintroduction of the Kuching-Pontianak cross-border bus service shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The route has since grown in demand, now offering twice-daily services operated by DAMRI on the Indonesian side and Biaramas on the Sarawak side.
He added, building on that momentum, efforts were also initiated to propose a new Kuching-Singkawang bus route.
While the service initially operated with border-only stops, the groundwork laid by the Indonesian Consul General has enabled the Sarawak Transport Ministry to take up the proposal to the Ministry of Transport for approval by the Federal Government.
The route is expected to be endorsed at the upcoming BIMP-EAGA meeting in the second half of the year.
“Although Pak Raden won’t be here to see the launch of the Kuching-Singkawang service, his contribution laid the foundation for this cross-border initiative,” Dato Sri Lee said.
According to him, Raden Sigit also played a key role in organising cross-border site visits to Pontianak, Singkawang, and Sambas.
These visits involved both Sarawak and federal government officers and were aimed at promoting intergovernmental collaboration and advancing route planning.
He added, beyond land transport, Raden Sigit was actively involved in advocating for the reinstatement of the Kuching-Pontianak air route.
“Pak Raden also arranged for our Sarawak Transport Ministry delegation to visit and meet the Pontianak and Singkawang airports management.
“Discussions were held with Indonesian authorities and local stakeholders to push for the revival of Kuching - Pontianak - Kuching flights,” he said.
Dato Sri Lee further stated, the development of cross-border infrastructure for Serikin–Jagoi Babang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complex (ICQS) was also actively pursued.
“My ministry will follow up on the construction of the Serikin ICQS. Once this ICQS is completed, it will streamline travel and reduce commuting time to Pontianak by about one hour.
“On behalf of my ministry, I extend my sincere appreciation to Raden Sigit Witjaksono and his team in Kuching for their steadfast support and cooperation, particularly in improving cross-border transport connectivity between Sarawak and Kalimantan,” he concluded.
Meanwhile in his farewell remarks, Raden Sigit expressed deep gratitude to the Sarawak Government, particularly the Sarawak Ministry for Transport, for the strong collaboration and warm working relationship throughout his tenure.
He noted that although his time in Sarawak felt brief, it was marked by meaningful and impactful cooperation, particularly in the areas of transport and connectivity.
Raden reaffirmed his commitment to continue monitoring developments related to Sarawak–Kalimantan transport projects and pledged to stay in touch with his successor, who has already begun coordination with him. -UKASnews
