STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT. President Jokowi on Friday gathered several state ministers at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java to discuss plans regarding the construction of the New Capital City of Nusantara (IKN). Following the meeting, appointed New Capital Authority Head Bambang Susanto said that his team was preparing to execute field construction, mainly land development, and establish logistical and infrastructure accesses.
“We expect to see a number of field construction projects being done in the second half of 2022,” said Susanto in a press conference after the meeting. “The hope is to start building on the scale that we have targeted in 2023.”
Maritime Affairs and Investment Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan while proposing an additional budget during a meeting with the House Budget Board on Thursday shared his optimism that his ministry will move the Jakarta office to the new state capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan in the first quarter of 2023.
Transportation Ministry Acting Director Arif Toha on Thursday said the government was in the process of preparing for the construction of sea transportation infrastructure for the capital city of Nusantara in East Kalimantan. Arif said that his team, together with the Public Works and Housing Ministry, has prepared the construction of three docks to support the logistics needs.
A delegation of U.S. government and industry officials on Monday met with Indonesian public and private sector leaders. They discussed trade opportunities, pursue investment deals, and explore project needs and export financing options, as both nations set sight on solving the challenges of climate change in Southeast Asia, while also empowering businesses and workers on both sides of the Pacific.
U.S. Department of Commerce’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia Pamela Phan said the United States deeply values its close, productive partnership with Indonesia. As part of her remarks, Phan announced that ITA’s U.S. Commercial Service will launch new programming to support U.S. private sector collaboration as Indonesia moves forward with its plans to build a smart and sustainable new capital city in Nusantara.
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim said he is delighted to meet with the delegation of U.S. business executives who realize the great potential that exists in Indonesia. He added that with the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, this becomes a historic trade mission.
A majority of observers surveyed by the Jakarta-based Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) said they were doubtful of Indonesia’s ability to successfully move the capital city from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan on time.
In a virtual press conference on Monday, CSIS researchers said that 58.8 percent of respondents familiar with the issue voted “not confident” on whether they thought the new capital-bound transition would run according to the government’s target of 2024. The survey polled a total of 170 observers, largely comprising academics, researchers, journalists, businessmen, lawmakers and bureaucrats, from late March to mid-April.
“Many of the experts seem to doubt that the government could reach its target. There are many reasons for this uncertainty, from budget matters to whether bureaucratic authorities will be convinced to leave Jakarta by 2024,” said Noory Okhtariza, a researcher at the CSIS’ department of politics and social change.
The Business Director of the state-run electricity company PT PLN in Sumatra-Kalimantan Regional, Adi Lumakso on Thursday said that the electricity needs in the new capital city Nusantara would use both new and renewable energy-based power plants that produce no emissions.
He said the capital will also be equipped with Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU) to create a new eco-friendly urban ecosystem. For the supply of new and renewable electricity (EBT), PLN has prepared a 50 megawatt (MW) Solar Power Plant (PLTS) and a 70 MW Wind Power Plant (PLTB) in Tanah Laut, which remains in an early stage (Red/many sources).
