PT Sinar Mitbana Mas (SMM) Intermoda, a partnership company between Mitbana (Surbana Jurong’s joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation) and Sinar Mas Land in Indonesia, have successfully completed the first leg of a Covid-19 vaccination drive in BSD City from 12 to 16 Aug 2021, which was launched in support of the Indonesian government’s nationwide vaccination efforts.
The vaccination centre is located at a bus interchange at Terminal Intermoda BSD City, next to the site where PT SMM Intermoda is developing the first interconnected multi-modal transport complex in Greater Jakarta. The vaccination centre was set up in collaboration with various partners including Indonesia’s Ministry of Health, the Tangerang Regency Government, and local healthcare entities. This is the first time that the existing space designed for a public transport node in Tangerang is being adapted to help manage a public health issue, and the endeavor received positive response from the Indonesian community.
In all, 5,747 members of the public aged 12 years and older received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose; the same group will receive a second dose 28 days later again at the Terminal Intermoda BSD City.
Mr Christopher Siswanto Adisaputro (CEO Strategic Land Bank, Sinar Mas Land), Mr Eugene Yeo (First Secretary (Commercial), Embassy of the Republic of Singapore), Mr Maresuke Endo (Mitbana Representative from Mitsubishi Corporation), Mr Ahmed Zaki Iskandar (Tangerang Regent), Mr Theodore Thenoch (CEO Residential BSD City, Sinar Mas Land and Vice President Director, PT SMM Intermoda), and Mr Dhony Rahajoe (Managing Director President Office, Sinar Mas Land)
In solidarity with the Indonesian people
Mr Gareth Wong, CEO of Mitbana and President Director of PT SMM Intermoda, shared why it was important for the JV to establish the vaccination centre: “Towards the end of June, Indonesia started to witness a surge in Covid-19 cases from the virulent Delta variant that had severely impacted India just a few months before. As it became evident that the local healthcare infrastructure would be overwhelmed, Mitbana commenced discussions with our local partner Sinar Mas Land to explore how we could support local community efforts and demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Indonesia.”
Mr. Wong also explained how the team came up with the idea of setting up a temporary vaccination centre. He said: “One of the immediate priorities for the Indonesian government was that of rapidly accelerating Covid-19 vaccinations across the country, with a target to inoculate two-thirds of its population by end 2021. However, with the introduction of large-scale community-level public activity restrictions (colloquially known as the Pemberlakuan Pembatasan Kegiatan Masyarakat, or PPKM) from early July, it became administratively difficult to roll out such mass vaccinations.”
“Together with our local partners Sinar Mas Land, we identified that setting up a vaccination centre was a key area of support we could provide to the Tangerang regional government in BSD City,” he added. “As speed and convenience were of the essence, our team came up with the idea of establishing a temporary vaccination centre at the existing Terminal Intermoda, which would bolster the regional government’s ongoing vaccination efforts. At the same time, we drew inspiration from Surbana Jurong’s experience in assembling the Community Care Facilities (CCF) at Singapore’s EXPO last year, and mobilised resources quickly to focus our efforts on refurbishing existing facilities within the bus interchange.”
Adaptation in response to the pandemic
Mr. Wong said that undertaking this initiative has showcased Mitbana’s ability to think out-of-the box and reinforced the importance of micro-public spaces in our communities. “Looking at Singapore’s own experience,” he observed, “the community centres within Singapore’s HDB towns have been a critical element in the swift roll-out of the country’s vaccination drives. As we continue work on our plans to deliver the first multi-modal Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in the Intermoda precinct at BSD City, we will incorporate more of such adaptable and accessible public communal spaces that are not only pandemic-relevant but which enhance the larger well-being of the community.”
Mr Maresuke Endo, a Mitsubishi Corporation secondee to Mitbana who was present on the ground added, “In this challenging situation, Mitbana is very glad to have been able to assist the local community to deal with Covid-19.”
“Together with Sinar Mas Land,” he added, “we were able to host a vaccination drive that was coordinated smoothly with proper crowd control in the adapted space at Terminal Intermoda BSD City. Having witnessed the great feedback from everyone after receiving their vaccination shot, I am personally very heartened that we were able to realise our plans to deliver this vaccination centre. I am also very proud to have been able to represent a combined Singapore and Japan presence highlighting our support of the Indonesian government’s nationwide vaccination drive to emerge stronger from Covid-19.”
Located within a few minutes’ drive of the BSD City central commercial district, the 5.6 ha Intermoda TOD will comprise high-rise mixed-use residences, a town centre with lifestyle amenities and have direct connectivity to public transport nodes. The development is estimated to be completed within five to seven years, with the first phase commencing in the second half of 2022.
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