TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Minister for National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa on Monday claimed that the construction of the New Capital City of Nusantara or IKN is 29 percent completed.

During an event at the Hotel Santika Premiere Hayam Wuruk in Jakarta on June 5, Monoarfa said; “IKN is now already roughly 26-29 percent.”

His confidence in the New Capital’s construction was expressed in his prediction that the 2024 independence day commemoration can be celebrated at the new capital in Kalimantan. “The independence ceremony will be there,” he said.

Regarding how much investment has arrived in place of the city’s development, Suharso declined to comment and implied that he had to confirm it first with the newly-formed IKN Authority. He acknowledged that his positivity for the IKN construction is built on the city’s initial master plan as a reference.

"If we look at the calculation like that, hopefully, we can achieve it," he said.

Previously, the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono stated that the physical progress of the construction of Nusantara has reached 25 percent, and was openly optimistic that the relocation of the new capital city could begin in August 2024.

"Several infrastructure facilities have been built such as arterial roads, toll roads, dams, waste management, waste management, drinking water management, and also national axis landmarks," Basuki Hadimuljono said in a written statement from the IKN Authority, on Saturday, April 15.

According to him, the construction of the government offices and Presidential Palace is still in the early stages of 5.8 percent and 8 percent, however, there are parts of the New Capital City that have seen 100 percent construction progress.

The Sepaku Semoi Dam and Sepaku River Intake in Penajam Paser Utara Regency, East Kalimantan – where the new Capital City will reside – are targeted to begin impounding in June 2023.

"This dam can supply raw water needs of 2,500 liters per second, as much as 2,000 liters per second for IKN and the remaining 500 liters let second for Balikpapan," Basuki Hadimuljono said.

MOH KHORY ALFARIZI

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