The Indonesian government is pushing forward with the infrastructure development of the new capital city (IKN) Nusantara in East Kalimantan to ensure timely completion. The progress of construction in IKN Nusantara is according to the designed schedule with an average achievement of 25% for infrastructure development until early April 2023. The government is focused on building other infrastructures such as the presidential office, presidential palace, ministerial housing complex, arterial roads, toll roads, dams, national axis, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), waste treatment plant, and others. Despite the progress, the support of all related parties and regions across the country is deemed necessary for the development of the IKN Nusantara.
Public policy observer and academic from Bengkulu University, Dr Hardiansyah stated that there is a lack of enthusiasm in areas that are not in direct contact with the IKN Nusantara development, as they are far from the direct impact of IKN’s development. However, enthusiasm for the development of IKN Nusantara should be felt by all people across the country to ensure support for the completion of the new capital city. The government’s decision to move the capital city from Jakarta is more realistic than moving the business center since it will cost far less than moving the business center. Relocating the government center to IKN Nusantara will stimulate new areas, buffer zones to develop faster, and shorten access from areas in the country that are far from the center of government, which will encourage increased government performance in the regions.
Director of the Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of Regional Autonomy (KPPOD), Herman N. Suparman, stated that the capital city relocation would bring a positive impact on regional development, especially for economic development that would reach the new capital city and its buffer zones. The existence of IKN Nusantara has also reduced the distance of regions that have been far from the previous capital city, namely areas that are geographically far from access to the center of government. The relocation needs to be followed by strengthening the relationship between the central and regional government and not just an effort to reduce the distance between the regions and the center of government.
Political communications expert, Emrus Sihombing, believes that all parties should support the relocation and development of the new capital city to be completed on time. The capital city represents Indonesia’s image at the global level; hence it should showcase Indonesia’s best face at the global level. With the relocation, the government can build one region in IKN Nusantara to concentrate all supporting elements, with easier access for regional governments to reach which cannot be done in Jakarta due to its congestion. Thus, leaders will change, but the construction of IKN Nusantara must not stop.
