TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government is asked to establish an authoritative agency for the capital city relocation plan. Hendricus Andy Simarmata, secretary-general of the Indonesian Association of Urban and Regional Planners (IAP), said that having an official body to deal with the matter is regarded as showing that the government is serious about the plan.

"The government must establish an institutional or authority body such as the Batam Authority Agency," Andy told Tempo when met at the University of Indonesia, Thursday, August 22.

According to Andy, the authority ideally comprises of professional groups, who would help the government manage the spatial planning which designed by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and related ministries.

The establishment of an authoritative agency is deemed urgent because the relocation of a nation's capital requires a long period of time and therefore a permanent management team is required.

Andy said the development would be carried out at least by two generations for a period that may last decades.

"What President Joko Widodo meant by 'finished in 2024' is only the infrastructure, ministries and institutions," Andy said.

In a special interview with Tempo on August 19, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi said the capital city relocation would be done in stages. The first is to move the government administration, which is expected to be finalized by no later than 2024.

In its design, moving the capital from Jakarta to another city requires an investment of Rp466 trillion to develop an area of 40,000. An area of this size is expected to be able to accommodate 1.5 million residents.

Francisca Christy Rosana