Palu, September 16, 2025. In order to prepare for the fulfillment of facilities as an international airport, the Central Sulawesi Provincial Government held a meeting to accelerate the fulfillment of administrative and technical requirements in the Polibu Room.
The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Governor of Central Sulawesi, Dr. Reny A. Lamadjido, Sp.PK., M.Kes., and attended by the Deputy Mayor of Palu, Imelda Liliana Muhidin, S.E., M.AP., Assistant for Government and People’s Welfare, Fahruddin D. Yambas, S.Sos, M.Si, Assistant for Economy and Development Dr. Rudi Dewanto, S.E., M.M., Head of Mutiara SIS Al-Jufri International Airport, Prasetiyohadi, S.T., S.H., M.H., as well as representatives from Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and a number of provincial and city OPDs.
The hope of the people of Central Sulawesi to be able to fly directly abroad is getting closer. The status of Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie Airport in Palu has now officially been upgraded to an international airport after being stipulated through the Decree of the Minister of Transportation Number KM 37 and KM 38 of 2025.
Acceleration measures that have been prepared include the formation of a technical team, budget adjustments, runway length extensions, expansion of aircraft turnaround areas, and the procurement of supporting equipment such as X-ray machines. The provincial government will also write to the Palu City Government to immediately revise the RTRW and RDTR in accordance with international airport technical requirements.
The Deputy Governor of Central Sulawesi, Dr. Reny A. Lamadjido, Sp.PK., M.Kes., emphasized that the government’s target is for the airport to be fully operational for international flights by 2026.
“We don’t want the public to only hear about its international status, but there are no flights abroad. Therefore, we are developing short, medium, and long-term plans. Next year, we will strive to establish flights to China and other countries, and ensure that all facilities meet the standards,” explained the Deputy Governor.
The Head of Mutiara SIS Al-Jufri International Airport, Prasetiyohadi, S.T., S.H., M.H., said that the runway is being optimized so that it can accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A330. For this purpose, 36,000 m² of land needs to be acquired. In addition, the terminal will be renovated by the end of this year so that the airport is ready to receive international flights.
In the long term, Mutiara Airport is targeted to open a direct route to Jeddah to facilitate the departure of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from Central Sulawesi. Other countries that have the potential to become international flight destinations from Palu include China, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Malaysia, and Europe.
With various acceleration measures currently being prepared, the presence of Mutiara Airport as an international airport is expected not only to open direct flight access to foreign countries but also to serve as a new gateway for economic progress, investment, trade, and tourism in Central Sulawesi.
Doc & Journalist: MSAJ 2025 Public Relations
