REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SIMEULEU -- Minister of Maritime and Fishery Affairs Susi Pudjiastuti plans to build three airports in Simeuleu, a tsunami affected region in Aceh. The businesswoman turned minister is committed to find the fund resource for the projects.

"Send us the proposal on the airports," Pudjiastuti said in the weekend while holding dialog with fishermen of Aceh.

She thinks that airports in Simeuleu can boost fishery business in the area. The building of pioneer airport also costs 2 to 3 billion IDR. "I will invite the banking sector (to invest)," she said.

The minister visited Simeulue to commemorate a decade of Aceh tsunami. She admitted that she personally had a strong connection with the region. Only three days after the tsunami, Pudjiastuti, an owner of aviation pioneer Susi Air, helped the residents of Simeulue distributing aids using her planes.

Since then, she has been conducting business with the area in term of fishery until now. She bought fish and other sea resources from people in Simeuleu.

During her visit, Pudjiastuti asked Simeuleu Local Government to focus on building the conservation area. After tsunami hit the area in 2004, about 22 new islands emerged. 

"I asked them to conserve the islands. We can also build infrastructure for ecotourism," she said.

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