Damaged village roads, potholes, and waterlogged areas during heavy rain had long slowed traffic and caused congestion, especially during working and school hours. These conditions disrupted the daily activities of residents traveling along Makarti 1 Road in Makarti Jaya Village and Labota Village, Bahodopi District, Morowali Regency.
However, since early April 2026, road improvement works have started in the area. While the construction temporarily slowed traffic, it also marked the beginning of a long-awaited improvement for local residents.
Gradually, PT Merdeka Tsingshan Indonesia (MTI), which operates the AIM (Acid, Iron, Metal) Plant at Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), began upgrading the village road access through the JALU Desa (Smooth Roads for Villages) program. The initiative is part of the company’s commitment to supporting development and improving the quality of life for communities surrounding its operational area.
The road improvement project began on April 1, 2026, and lasted for two weeks, covering a 275-meter village road with a width of 6 meters. The damaged dirt road was replaced with 20-centimeter-thick concrete pavement. On April 24–25, 2026, drainage improvement works were also carried out. Water channels were reorganized, drainage lines cleaned, crossing drainage pipes installed, and trash filters placed at strategic points. These efforts were aimed at reducing the risk of flooding and improving the road’s durability.
The program is part of MTI’s Social and Environmental Responsibility (SER) implementation and was carried out collaboratively with village governments, community leaders, youth groups, PT Global Arrow, PT Merdeka Mining Service (MMS), subcontractors, and CV Morowali Jaya Mandiri. The project began with field surveys and coordination with various stakeholders to ensure the program would deliver targeted and long-term benefits to the community.
Novaludin, MTI Community Relation Officer, stated that village infrastructure development is one of the company’s priorities in creating sustainable social impact. “We believe infrastructure development is not only about building roads, but also about opening access to economic opportunities, education, healthcare, and improving people’s quality of life. Through the JALU Desa program, MTI wants to grow together with the community,” he said.
“This program reflects real synergy between the company, village government, and the community in supporting regional development together,” said Khairul Anam, Secretary of Makarti Jaya Village.
Irwansyah, a local vegetable seller near the road improvement site, also expressed appreciation for MTI’s support for village infrastructure development. “After the road was repaired, traffic became smoother and more customers started coming,” he said.
This road improvement project continues MTI’s previous construction of a 420-meter village road in 2025, aimed at improving accessibility for communities around the company’s operational area. Better road infrastructure is expected to further support local social and economic activities.
In addition, the JALU Desa program contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. Moving forward, MTI will continue to promote adaptive, participatory, and sustainable community empowerment programs through collaboration with various stakeholders to deliver meaningful benefits for communities around its operational area.
