STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT. Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono echoed the interest of Malaysian investors to partake in development of the new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan.
“Yesterday, I departed for Kuala Lumpur upon the invitation of Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) that organized a forum attended by 183 Malaysian investors,” Hadimuljono stated on the sidelines of the CreatIFF event here.
The minister had earlier attended the Nusantara Capital City Investment Forum organized by the Malaysian ministry and the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian investors expressed interest to invest in the developments of housing, hospital, education, start-up companies, energy, and other sectors in the new capital, the minister noted.
Many investors are interested in Indonesia’s new capital city or IKN Nusantara project, said Minister of Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono. With the high interest of foreign investors, the official was optimistic that the project could be mainly funded from investment instead of the state budget.
He listed a series of sectors for the investment, including road construction, drinking water, education, and hospitals. According to the minister, the Indonesian Government has worked with the Malaysian and Japanese sides to hold forums to promote investment in the project.
PUPR spokesperson Endra Atmawidjaja said at least 183 Malaysian investors, working in the sectors of property, health, digital, startup, transportation, and energy, are interested in investing in the new capital city.
Preparing competent human resources to develop the new capital Nusantara will be the ministry’s priority, according to Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono.
The minister also encouraged members of the younger generation, especially youth in the ministry, to utilize every opportunity to study in order to boost their competencies to develop the new capital.
“The new capital provides an opportunity for the ministry’s younger generation, either in the technical or non-technical aspects. There is a technical aspect because we will utilize new technologies to develop infrastructures.
Meanwhile, House of Representatives (DPR) deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said House legislators have agreed with the government’s proposal to revise the New Capital City Law (UU IKN) after a thorough study.
According to Dasco, one of the reasons for the revision of the New Capital City Law is that it is hoped that fundraising would be easier after the IKN Law is revised.
The Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly also said that the proposal to include the revision of the IKN Law was a directive from President Joko Widodo.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in national investment coordination meeting in Jakarta urged policymakers to better facilitate investors to enter Indonesia as he believes the global competition to attract investors are getting harder due to the forecast of a global recession.
“This is why we should not complicate the process. I don’t want to hear reports of [investors having difficulties entering Indonesia] whether it’s at the central or regional government,” said the President at the Ritz-Carlton on November 30.
Widodo claims that Indonesia has gained international trust after hosting a number of international events, and called for everyone to use the momentum to its full potential. “Don’t let the trust slip over mistreating investments that want to land in Indonesia,” he added.
