TEMPO.CO, Samarinda - The Nusantara Capital City or IKN Authority (OIKN) head Bambang Susantono served as an inspector for Indonesia’s 78th Independence Day Ceremony at the IKN, Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Thursday, August 17, 2023. He said this year’s event was a prelude to the 2024 ceremony which will be led directly by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

He expressed gratitude for the solemnity of the ceremony, which was attended by various elements of society, including officials from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).

“This ceremony was jointly organized by OIKN and Kadin,” Bambang said in a written statement as quoted from Antara.

The collaboration between OIKN and Kadin in holding the annual ceremony, he said, was done as a form of commitment to the construction of the new capital. Bambang hoped that the ceremony could serve as a capital of the nation's struggle to maintain the development goals in IKN, considering that the private parties would start construction projects within the next month.

Bambang also expressed optimism that by the time next year's Independence Day ceremony is held in IKN, there will be buildings. government offices, and public facilities already in place.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said that a number of government buildings in IKN will be completed in 2024. “The President's office, four Coordinating Ministry offices, and several ministry buildings such as the Ministry of State Secretariat building are targeted for completion next year,” Basuki said on the sidelines of a press conference on the draft state budget for 2024, on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.

Other government facilities targeted to be opened next year include the field venue for the 79th Independence Day ceremony. The PUPR Ministry allocated a budget of Rp35.67 trillion for the construction of IKN in 2024.

KUKUH S. WIBOWO

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