Sei Alalak Bridge

Sei Alalak Bridge
Sei Alalak Bridge from below
CarriesWheeled vehicles
CrossesAlalak River
LocaleBarito Kuala Regency, South Kalimantan
Characteristics
Designcable-stayed bridge
Total length850 metres (2,789 ft)
Width20 metres (66 ft)
No. of lanes4
History
Constructed byPT. Wijaya Karya
PT. Pandji

Sei Alalak Bridge is a curved cable-stayed bridge in South Kalimantan province of Indonesia. The bridge, which has length of 850 meters, crossing the Alalak river in Alalak District, Barito Kuala Regency, and connecting the regency through the main Trans-Kalimantan Road towards Banjarmasin city.[1]

History

Prior to the bridge construction, the river crossing was mainly done through Kayutangi I Bridge and Kayutangi II Bridge. The old bridges were considered too small to accommodate the increasing traffic on the road, especially due to the fact the road is an important route connecting South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan provinces in the eastern coast to Central Kalimantan province and is a point of entry to Banjarmasin. Sei Alalak Bridge was built to replace the Kayutangi I Bridge, while the road traffic would be temporarily diverted to Kayutangi II Bridge.[1][2][3] The construction was done jointly by PT. Wijaya Karya and PT. Pandji with Rp 278 billion in cost.[4] The work started in 2018 and finished in late 2020, then later inaugurated by Indonesian president Joko Widodo on 21 October 2021.[5][6] It is claimed to be the first curved cable-stayed bridge in Indonesia.[5]

Basit Bridge meme

Prior to its inauguration by the Indonesian president Joko Widodo, the bridge was still closed and not yet open for public use. However, there was a video circulating on the social media where a car was allowed to pass through the closed bridge by the guards after saying "Aku ading Basit" or "I am Basit's younger sister" in Banjarese.[7] It was later revealed that Basit was one of the local worker recruited for the bridge construction.[8] It later became a meme and highlighted the absurdity of the situation, where someone was able to use the bridge even before the president himself.[9][10] Indonesian social media users, especially for those from South Kalimantan, mockingly named the bridge "Jembatan Basit" or "Basit's Bridge".[10][7] The name eventually picked up and even used as alternative name of the bridge by several news media and on Google Maps.[11][12] Indonesian antrhopologist from Lambung Mangkurat University stated that the meme was a form of social criticism against violation of the rule of law and public rights.[7]

Reference

  1. ^ a b Silaban, Martha Warta (2021-09-04). "Profil Sei Alalak, Jembatan Lengkung Pertama RI yang Akan Diresmikan Jokowi". Tempo. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  2. ^ Agency, ANTARA News. "Jembatan Sei Alalak jadi kebanggaan baru bagi warga Kalsel". ANTARA News Kalimantan Selatan. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  3. ^ baritopost.co.id (2021-07-07). "Besok Jembatan Alalak 1 Lama Dibongkar, Jalan akan Dialihkan Satu Arah". Barito Post (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  4. ^ Imandiar, Yudistira Perdana. "Jadi Ikon Baru Banjarmasin, Proyek Jembatan Sei Alalak Capai 92%". detikfinance (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  5. ^ a b "Jembatan Sungai Alalak Berstruktur Cable Stayed Lengkung Pertama di Indonesia, Jadi Ikon Baru Kalsel". Banjarmasinpost.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  6. ^ Al-Farraby, Raden Muhammad Ikhsan (2021-10-21). "Resmikan Jembatan Sei Alalak, Presiden: Manfaatkan dengan Baik". Presiden RI (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  7. ^ a b c antaranews.com (2021-09-24). "Antropolog: Jembatan Sei Alalak viral dengan sebutan Jembatan Basit". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  8. ^ "Terungkap, Sosok Basit yang Sedang Viral di Banjarmasin Ternyata Wakar". Banjarmasinpost.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  9. ^ Hasanuddin (2021-09-22). "Viral, Kode "Ading Basit" Bisa Melintas Jembatan Alalak Banjarmasin". PojokBanua.com. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  10. ^ a b Agency, ANTARA News. "Jembatan Basit, aspek viral yang bisa dijadikan nama jembatan Sei Alalak di Kalsel". ANTARA News Kalimantan Selatan. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  11. ^ Ridhani, Fauzan. "Ternyata, Anggaran Pembangunan Jembatan Basit Bersumber Dari Sini - Prokal". Ternyata, Anggaran Pembangunan Jembatan Basit Bersumber Dari Sini - Prokal (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  12. ^ kalselpos (2021-09-23). "Jembatan Alalak di Google Maps berganti "Jembatan Basit"". kalselpos (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-08-20.