Denpasar. I Kadek 'Rambo' Prasetya, the head of the campaign team for Bali gubernatorial candidate Made Muliawan Arya and vice gubernatorial candidate Putu Agus Suradnyana, has clarified President Prabowo Subianto's statement about transforming Bali into "The New Singapore" or "The New Hong Kong."

Rambo, who is also the Secretary-General of the Gerindra Party's Bali branch, told Beritabali.com, part of B-Universe Media Holdings, on Monday that Prabowo's vision does not mean changing Bali into a new Singapore but rather adopting the modern and advanced airport designs of Singapore and Hong Kong for the planned North Bali International Airport.

During a campaign event in Denpasar on Sunday, Prabowo pledged to build the North Bali Airport, saying, "I am committed to making Bali possibly the New Singapore, the New Hong Kong in this region. We must work hard and think big. Indonesia must prosper and be fair, so that all Indonesians can enjoy prosperity, not just a few."

His comments sparked misunderstandings on social media, with many netizens believing Bali would be transformed to resemble Singapore.

Muliawan and his running mate plan to develop North Bali, including Buleleng, Jembrana, and Karangasem, with the construction of the new airport and the expansion of Celukan Bawang Port to improve accessibility. "I am confident that Buleleng can progress. Why have Badung and Denpasar advanced? Because the main entry point is Ngurah Rai Airport," Rambo said.

In contrast, Bali gubernatorial rival Wayan Koster from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) stressed that airport infrastructure development in North Bali must follow proven phases. This clarification comes as Koster and PDIP have been accused of obstructing the North Bali airport project. Koster highlighted that the priority is to improve connectivity from the airport to all areas of Bali, which includes constructing the Singaraja-Mengwi shortcut, currently underway.

Koster affirmed that the airport's development is already included in Bali's spatial planning and will adhere to established phases, emphasizing the importance of accessibility. "It's pointless to build an airport if access to it is not developed. An airport could be completed in five years, but if the roads are inadequate, it will not function and could become a waste, similar to the underused Kertajati Airport in West Java," he told Balipuspanews.com.

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