TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi is scheduled to visit the new capital city, Nusantara (IKN), in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan, on July 28, 2024. Following this visit, the first-ever cabinet meeting will be held in IKN on July 30. The government continues to work on finalizing the development of the new capital ahead of Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day ceremony on August 17, 2024.

Sources within the Palace and the National Capital Infrastructure Development Task Force confirmed the President's visit and the planned cabinet meeting. However, specific details regarding the meeting are currently unavailable.

“There's a possibility. Acting Head of the IKN Authority and Minister of Public Works, Basuki Hadimuljono, has been at IKN for the past few days,” said the chairman of the National Capital Infrastructure Development Task Force, Danis Sumadilaga, in a message to Tempo on Monday, July 22.

Ari Dwipayana, Presidential Special Staff Coordinator, has not yet responded to Tempo's queries. However, Yusuf Permana, the Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media at the Presidential Secretariat, confirmed the President’s visit to IKN on July 28. He did not provide further details about the cabinet meeting on July 30.

Jokowi would first summon Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi to the Jakarta Presidential Palace on Thursday, July 25, to report on infrastructure readiness and plans for the August 17 ceremony at IKN.

“It must be admitted that rains continuously fell there (IKN). Last month, [the construction] could only run 8 days. We have now deployed 4 aircraft for the TMC (weather modification technology) program,” Budi Karya Sumadi told journalists in Kota Tua, West Jakarta, Sunday, July 21, as quoted by Antara.

Doubts had arisen regarding Jokowi's plan to relocate his office to IKN in July 2024. On various occasions, the President expressed concerns about basic infrastructure, particularly water and electricity. The government had initially aimed for these utilities to be operational by mid-July, but heavy rainfall may have affected this timeline.

President's Chief of Staff Moeldoko said that Jokowi would establish an office at IKN as long as the infrastructure was ready. “We are waiting [for infrastructure to be ready]. Pak Basuki (PUPR Minister) has indicated readiness,” said the retired military general at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, July 22.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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