Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is increasingly all in favour of the concept of moving the Indonesian capital from Java. Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan province, is one in all the alternatives being considered, as reported to this point.
President Joko Widodo discussed the matter intimately with Bambang Brodjonegoro, Minister/Head of the National Development Planning Agency, on the State Palace. They had previously held similar discussions in recent months, Bambang said, as reported Kompas.com.
Monday’s meeting focused on several issues, Bambang said, including financing schemes for the state capital relocation program, its location and city planning.
“Some administrative relocation activities will begin in 2018 or 2019,” the minister told reporters at his office. He didn’t provide further details.
But the potential relocation program has never been discussed at Cabinet level, Home Affairs Minister Tjahyo Kumolo said in March. In addition, the relocation of the state capital must receive approval from the House of Representatives (DPR), based on current rules.
Like the president and lots of other high-ranking officials, Minister Tjahyo sees this system as very expensive and time-consuming. He also argued that the federal government is currently prioritizing accelerating the equal development of all regions within the country. Jokowi’s predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also discussed the capital relocation plan together with his ministers.
The idea of moving the capital to Palangkaraya was first proposed by Soekarno, the primary president of Indonesia, who declared the country’s independence in August 1945, along with Muhammad Hatta. Soekarno is alleged to have made the proposal for the move in 1956.
Some experts consider that Jakarta’s dual role as a middle of presidency and business is the source of the issue. It makes Jakarta very attractive, stimulating the flow of individuals to work and live there. They argue that separating the 2 roles by establishing a brand new capital is the answer that may save Jakarta from further rapid growth, and likewise reduce the concentration of economic development in Jakarta and Java.
Palangkaraya, now the capital of Central Kalimantan, was largely regarded as a possible capital. It is situated in the course of an unlimited archipelago, and moving the state capital was intended to make Indonesia less “Javacentric.”
However, Vice President Jusuf Kalla reportedly preferred Mamuju, the capital of West Sulawesi province, as the brand new location for the state capital. Mamuju is “more central” in comparison with Palangkaraya, said Jusuf Kalla, who’s from South Sulawesi.
However, some experts don’t agree with the relocation of the Indonesian capital. Not only is it very expensive, but it could possibly also solve the present problems and challenges of Jakarta. With a population density of greater than 10,000 inhabitants per square kilometer, Jakarta is difficult to administer. It is on par with other large and densely populated cities reminiscent of Cairo, Tehran, Dhaka, and Mumbai. However, it’s also such as modern cities reminiscent of Beijing, New York, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. In short, with great city planning and management, Jakarta could be transformed right into a world-class city.
Various studies have been conducted on ways to enhance Jakarta. However, most of them are project-based, and the federal government needs to mix these studies to develop an integrated and comprehensive plan to take care of floods, traffic jams, water and air pollution, slums and lots of other social problems that exist in Jakarta.
It is feasible to bring Jakarta as much as par with other world-class cities. There is a protracted list of steps to take. One of the primary steps is to finish the concept of moving the capital, since it diverts the eye and focus that needs to be put into making the present capital work.**
**Wijayanto Samirina is Vice-Rector of Paramadina University and Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Paramadina Institute of Public Policy.
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Source and reference:
Global Indonesian Voice | The Jakarta Globe | Kompas.com | Merdeka.com
