TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Presidential Palace confirmed that President Joko Widodo or Jokowi would visit Indonesia’s new capital, or IKN, in North Penajam Paser, tomorrow, July 27. The president will check the readiness of the IKN infrastructure that is set to hold the Independence Day Ceremony on August 17, for the first time.

Yusuf Permana, the deputy of Protokol, Media, Sekretariat Presiden said that Jokowi was scheduled to conduct several agendas. Among others, the inauguration of Balang Bentang Panjang Island’s bridge and IKN toll road review. “As well as reviewing the Presidential Office and State Palace,” he said in a short message on Saturday, July 27, 2024.

Yusuf said Jokowi would also conduct other reviews, including checking the readiness of the venue for the Indonesian Independence Day ceremony. As well as other supporting facilities and infrastructure.

During the visit, President Jokowi would be accompanied by the Minister of Public Works and Acting Head of the IKN Authority, Basuki Hadimuljono, and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Spatial Planning, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the IKN Authority,, Raja Juli Antoni.

The government plans to hold Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day on August 17 in IKN. The Independence ceremony would be held offline and online both in the new capital city IKN and Jakarta.

Jokowi's visit to IKN tomorrow comes amid doubts about the plan to move offices to the new capital in July 2024. On several occasions, the president has admitted that he is still reviewing the readiness of basic infrastructure and facilities such as water and electricity regarding the plan to have an office in the new capital.

The head of the IKN Infrastructure Development Implementation Task Force, Danis Sumadilaga, has ensured that raw water sources, including the Sepaku River intake and the Sepaku Semoi Dam, have sufficient capacity and are ready for use.

According to information received on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, construction is underway intensively to welcome the August 17th ceremony in IKN. Meanwhile, the Minister of PUPR said on a separate occasion that electricity had arrived in the new capital in mid-July.

The Pulau Balang Bridge, which will be inaugurated by Jokowi tomorrow, connects Balikpapan and IKN. Meanwhile, on Friday, July 26, 2024, Denis said that the progress of the three sections of the toll road, namely the IKN Access Toll Road Section 3A, had reached 88 percent.

As for the IKN Access Toll Road Section 3B, the progress has reached 91 percent, and the progress of the IKN Access Toll Road Section 5A has reached 88 percent. This means that the IKN Access Toll Road is ready for use. "The IKN Access Toll Road sections 3A, 3B and 5A are ready for the celebration of Indonesia's Independence Day on August 17," Danis said.

Daniel A. Fajri

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