TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several NGOs joined in the civil society coalition dubbed Jaringan Bersihkan Indonesia considered Jokowi administration’s plan to relocate the capital city to East Kalimantan an ambitious project that was not based on scientific studies. They deemed the idea was not a solution for Jakarta’s problems.

“East Kalimantan and Jakarta have the same burden. Jakarta’s load capacity exceeds, while East Kalimantan’s carrying capacity is harmed due to mining, plantation, and concession,” said a group member Zenzi on Tuesday, December 17.

Zenzi, who was also joined in the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), said the government’s reasons for moving the capital because of the dense population, clean air and water, or transportation were improper.

Another reason, such as Jakarta as a disaster-prone city, was also baseless because East Kalimantan was also susceptible to disaster.

The coalition further criticized the plan that did not follow thorough studies considering lands for the new capital were mostly concessions that could not be just evicted.

The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) data showed that the new capital city will have an area of 180,965 hectares, which includes four districts namely Sepaku, Samboja, Muara Jawa, and Loa Kulu, as well as hundreds of concession lands.

FIKRI ARIGI